Food products resembling whole muscle meat and seafood

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the creation of meat-analogs, including bacon or jerky. The present invention further can relate to the use of hydrocolloid gels or films as structural components of meat analog food products. Hydrocolloid gels or films are used in order to improve the similarity of meat analog food products to whole muscle cuts of meat and seafood, including animal sourced bacon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/471,225 filed Sep. 10, 2021, which is a continuation-in-part ofInternational Application No. PCT/US2021/035971 filed Jun. 4, 2021,which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 63/177,382filed Apr. 20, 2021, and 63/034,898 filed Jun. 4, 2020, the contents ofwhich are incorporated in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

There is a growing consumer demand to find substitutes for animalproteins sourced from living animals. The demand is fueled in part byhealth and environmental concerns of the consumers eating the animalsourced proteins. To satisfy the consumer's desire for the taste andexperience of eating meat and seafood, meat analog food products can beformulated using plant-based proteins or cultured animal cells. Theseplant-based proteins or cultured animal cells are aggregated to form ameat analog that is capable of mimicking the taste, texture, appearance,and overall sensory experience of cooking and eating meat from an animalsource. This is due to the consumers desire for non-meat alternatives,or meat analogs, based on plant-based proteins or cultured animal cellsto mimic as many of the attributes that associated with consuming realanimal muscle tissue.

Extruded vegetable proteins are commonly used to make plant-based meatanalogs. The process uses a shear force extrusion process to realign theplant proteins into a linear fibrous structure that results in a finalproduct that more closely resemble the physical properties of muscletissue found in animal meat.

A drawback to extrusion is that it is expensive. This has preventedcurrently available plant-based meat analogs to be sold to consumers ata competitive price when compared to “whole muscle” cuts of animal meat.Extrusion is also time consuming and can act as a bottleneck to themanufacture of plant-based meat analogs. Additionally, while extrudedvegetable protein can reasonably simulate the texture and sensoryproperties experienced by a consumer of ground meat, it currently is notcapable of duplicating the actual texture or appearance of the highlyelongated fibers in “whole muscle” cuts of animal meat.

Vegetable oils liquefy at a lower temperatures than animal fats and tendto leak out of plant-based meat analogs when oil is substituted foranimal fat. To contain oils in plant-based meat analogs, methylcelluloseis commonly used as an additive. Methylcellulose is a chemicallymodified ingredient that consumers looking for “natural” or “cleanlabel” ingredients seek to avoid. The inclusion of methylcellulose andother chemically modified ingredients on a food package label can makethe product less desirable and negatively affect sales. Furthermore, theuse of chemically modified ingredients can make consumers less willingto switch from animal meats to plant-based meats.

Hydrocolloid films have mechanical properties that make them useful forimproving the structural integrity of fragile food products. One exampleis the use of a hydrocolloid film comprised of alginate for sausagecasings. Hydrocolloid films also allow for thickening, gelling,emulsifying, stabilization, and coating, etc. of food products.Hydrocolloids have also been found to have a profound impact on foodproperties when used at levels ranging from a few parts per million forcarrageenan in heat-treated dairy products to high levels of acacia gum,starch or gelatin in jelly confectionery. The primary reason behind theample use of hydrocolloids in foods is their ability to modify therheology of the food in which they are used. Particularly, hydrocolloidscan influence the flow behavior (viscosity) and mechanical solidproperty (texture) of the food. The modification of texture and/orviscosity of food systems helps modify its sensory properties. As aresult, hydrocolloids are commonly used as a food additive in situationswhere the manufacturer wants to affect the viscosity and/or texture ofthe final food product. Hydrocolloids can be used for thickening or forgelling. Hydrocolloids used for thickening include alginate,carrageenan, starch, xanthan, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum karaya, gumtragacanth, gum arabic and cellulose derivatives.

All hydrocolloids are hydrophilic, but not all hydrocolloids can formgels. Only a subset of hydrocolloids can form gels that are insoluble inwater. Gels form when polymers arrange to form a three-dimensionalstructure characterized by connection points at junction zones, allowingsolvent to be contained in the interstices. Hydrocolloids commonly usedto make gels include alginate, pectin, carrageenan, gelatin, gellan andagar. Some hydrocolloids like alginate, carrageenan, and pectin requirebonding with an ion to gel (ionotropic gelation). Calcium alginate isone example of a gel formed by the interaction of alginate with calciumions. Other gels require setting by hot or cold temperatures.Methylcellulose is a heat set gel, and agar and carrageenan are examplesof cold set gels. Hydrocolloids find use in soups, gravies, saladdressings, sauces, jams, jellies and toppings while acting as a gellingagents.

An edible film is defined as a thin layer, which can be consumed, coatedon a food or placed as barrier between the food and the surroundingenvironment. The most familiar example of edible packaging is sausagemeat in casing that is not removed for cooking and eating. Hydrocolloidscan be used to produce edible films on food surfaces. Such films serveas inhibitors of moisture, gas, aroma and lipid migration. Many gums andderivatives have been used for coating proposes. They include alginate,carrageenan, cellulose and its derivatives, pectin, starch and itsderivatives, among others. Since these hydrocolloids are hydrophilic,the coatings they produce have limited moisture barrier properties.However, if they are used in a gel form, they can retard moisture lossduring short term storage when the gel acts as sacrificing agent ratherthan a barrier to moisture transmission.

In the present invention, the textural and functional properties ofwhole muscle tissue are mimicked, in an aspect, by the use of structuralscaffolds within the interior of meat analog food products. Thesestructural scaffolds can provide textural properties such as directionalelasticity and distinct physical segmentation that resembles the visualand sensory properties of whole muscle tissue. When combined with otherplant-based materials, the use of the present invention enables themanufacture of a composite meat analog food product that providesattributes associated with whole muscle cuts of animal meat. Theseinclude taste, bulk, and nutrition. For instance, a hydrocolloid filmthat is integrated into the structure of a plant-based meat analog cancreate the appearance, texture, and “bite” of a whole muscle cut ofanimal meat.

In addition to their advantageous mechanical properties, hydrocolloidfilms also can provide a substantive barrier layer that is capable ofmaintaining lipids such as fat and oil in the plant-based meat analog.Oils are commonly used in plant-based meat analogs to replace the fatsfound in animal foods. However, these oils, due to theft differentphysical and chemical properties, tend to liquefy at lower temperaturesand often leak out of plant-based meat analogs when they are cooked.This leakage is visible to the consumer when cooking plant-based meat,is usually perceived as unpleasant, and is a noticeable difference fromcooking animal meat. Furthermore, oils and fats play an essential rolein the taste and sensory attributes of meat and meat-like food products,since the molecules responsible for flavor are often attached to lipids.The rapid loss of oils and fats during the cooking process can result ina plant-based meat analog reducing or completely losing its flavorduring cooking. A common solution to this problem is to contain the oilwithin the food product using chemically modified ingredients such asmethylcellulose, which consumers are increasingly seeking to avoid.

In the present invention, internal hydrocolloid films serve a functionaladvantage by acting as barrier layers within a plant-based meat analogthat is capable of retaining fats and oils, in part through slowing theleakage of those substances during the cooking process. By serving asboth a structural support and barrier layer to fat and oil leakage, thefilms can simultaneously improve the sensory properties of plant-basedmeat analogs in mouthfeel while also making them more closely resemblethe cooking behavior of animal meats containing fats. The films can alsohelp allow the plant-based meat analog to retain the taste that would beassociated with the whole muscle cut of animal meat that is beingmimicked. Further, the pliable nature of hydrocolloid films allows forclose packing of segments and the potential to heat-seal layers to eachother in order to contain liquid (oil, water) and prevent leakage. Usinghydrocolloid films to separate layers further allows for theconstruction of heterogeneous composites with visible differences intexture, appearance, and taste among the food product components. Thisallows them to be used to create plant-based meat analogs that have themarbling effect commonly found in desirable “whole muscle” cuts ofanimal meat.

Existing plant-based bacon products have a range of textures, tastes,sensory feel and aromas, but they do not replicate the crispiness ofcooked bacon. They typically employ a protein or starch to providetexture. However, they fail to replicate the texture and delicatepercussive sound that combine to give the crispy sensation in the mouth.Additionally, plant-based bacon analogs made from soy and gluten tend tobe soft and chewy when hot and crunchy when cold, while alternativecompositions (such as those using fungi) tend to be stiff or spongy andcardboard-like in appearance and mouthfeel. Fungi-based bacons, such asthose produced by mycelium, are fibrous and have very little fat-holdingability.

A feature that is commonly associated with bacon is its crispiness.“Crispy” bacon is a common adjective found in recipes, advertisements,and cooking forums describing bacon. The crispiness of pork bacondifferentiates it from other pork products such as pork chops, sausage,ham, or prosciutto. The same is true for other foods that are associatedwith having a crispiness. This can include dried meat, fried meat, anddried and seasoned meats such as a jerky or those used as part of asalad.

To solve the problem of oil leakage, some plant-based meat analogproducts contain chemically modified cellulose compounds.Methylcellulose is a substance that has a unique property of gellingwhen heated. This property provides structure and helps contain oilswithin the food product when included in a plant-based meat productformulation. Because methylcellulose is a chemically modifiedingredient, it is considered by many consumers to be artificial andtherefore undesirable on the ingredient list. To satisfy the growingdesire of consumers for natural, i.e. “clean label” food products,manufacturers are seeking ways to eliminate methylcellulose from theirformulations.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a distinct crispy sensationis created in a food product through a microstructure comprised of oildroplets suspended in a dehydrated or partially dehydrated matrix formedby a gelled hydrocolloid (e.g. using an oleogel). Optimally, thehydrocolloid is agar, a natural polysaccharide found in red seaweed.

Furthermore, the present invention provides for a substance thatsimulates the texture, appearance, and sensorial feel (mouthfeel) ofanimal fat but which does not leak oil when heated on a skillet or in anoven and does not contain methylcellulose.

Furthermore, the present invention provides for a substance thatsimulates the texture, appearance, and sensorial feel (mouthfeel) of acheese, an egg or other food product commonly consumed by a person or ananimal.

The present invention provides for the creation of plant-based meatanalogs that are capable of mimicking the taste, feel and look of “wholemuscle” cuts of animal meat without the use of chemically modifiedingredients. This comprises using hydrocolloid films to create aplant-based meat analog that resembles the structure of a “whole muscle”cuts of animal meat and allows it to be cooked by an individual, whilethe plant-based meat analog retains its sensory feel and taste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention as embodied herein is to providenovel and nutritious high protein food products including components ofthose products that can substitute for conventional, premium,whole-muscle animal meat products such as beef, lamb, and pork loins andsteaks and salmon, tuna, and swordfish filets and steaks. The inventivefood products include the use of plant-based hydrocolloid films toreplicate the mechanical properties of internal structure and thustexture of whole muscle animal meat, using a variety of high proteindoughs such as plant-based doughs, or cultivated animal-cell baseddoughs, and mixtures thereof, to provide the “filler” material betweenhydrocolloid films.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

FIGS. 1A-1D show substitute finished food products using plant-basedhydrocolloid films and filler dough food components to mimic,respectively, a beef loin; salmon filet; beef steak; and tuna steak;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show side and end views of a representative tubularshaped layered food component;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show longitudinal and axial enlarged cross-sections ofthe layered food component in FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show an axial and longitudinal cross-sections of anothertubular shaped layered food component having a rolled construction;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a perspective view and a cross sectional view of arepresentative plate-like, planar-shaped layered food component;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a planar layered food componenthaving a folded construction; and

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a perspective view and a cross sectional view of aplanar layered food product with the hydrocolloid films having acorrugated shape.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective and cross-sectional view of a layered foodcomponent resembling bundled muscle fibers.

FIG. 9 shows bacon analog strips before (9A) and after dehydration (9B).

FIG. 10 shows bacon fat analogs after progressive levels of dehydration,followed by the subsequent application of heat.

FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C show a perspective and cross-sectional view of abacon analog food product.

FIG. 12A shows a commercially sold bacon analog with colorant migrationand FIG. 12B shows a bacon analog without colorant migration.

FIGS. 13A, 13B and 13C show audio patterns following chewing anon-dehydrated bacon meat analog, a dehydrated bacon meat analog andpork bacon.

FIGS. 14A and 14B show different examples of a dehydrated bacon meatanalog with the textural look following dehydration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a plant-based meat analog, which in anaspect of the invention is a substitute for an animal meat that iscreated using components that can be plant-based or animal-based andwhen mixed together are able to create a meat analog that mimics theanimal meat. The meat analog comprises a fat and/or an oil and ahydrocolloid film. The present invention provides for a texture andsensory feel of the plant-based meat analog that more closely mimics thetexture and sensory feel of a “whole muscle” cut of animal meat. Thepresent invention further provides for the maintenance of the structureof the plant-based meat analog during and following the application ofheat, for instance, when the plant-based meat analog is cooked.

The term “animal meat” as used herein refers to flesh, whole meatmuscle, muscle tissue or muscle tissue cells derived from animal cellculture, organs or any parts thereof that are derived from an animal,including fat, skin bone or other part of an animal. An animal caninclude a cow, a sheep, a pig, a goat, a bird, a fish, a shellfish(including a scallop, a clam, an oyster), a crustacean (including acrab, a lobster), a duck, an emu and ostrich, or any other speciescommonly understood to comprise a source of meat that is used forconsumption by another animal, including a human.

The term “meat analog” as used herein refers to a blend of ingredients,dry and/or wet, used to make a plant-based meat-like product from eithera non-animal source (e.g., proteins, carbohydrates, lipids includingliquid oils, heme containing protein or an iron salt, water, and allother ingredients added with water) or from a mixture of a non-animalsource and an animal source wherein the one or more of proteins,carbohydrates, lipids, water and all other ingredients added with waterfrom which a plant-based meat-like product is prepared as describedherein are produced, derived or obtained from an animal and also anon-animal source.

In an embodiment, a plant-based protein concentrate, including a seaweedprotein concentrate, is derived and/or obtained from plant cells grownthrough cellular agriculture, wherein plant cells are grown in vitro ina bioreactor or other enclosed device. This includes a photobioreactor.

To create a meat analog and then a plant-based meat analog product, thevarious ingredients are blended using a mechanical force (e.g.,spinning, agitating, shaking, shearing, pressure, turbulence,impingement, confluence, beating, friction, wave), a radiation energy(e.g., microwave, electromagnetic), a thermal energy (e.g., heating,steam texturizing), enzymatic activity (e.g., transglutaminaseactivity), chemical reagents (e.g., pH adjusting agents, kosmotropicsalts, chaotropic salts, gypsum, surfactants, emulsifiers, fatty acids,amino acids), gravity or other methods that lead to protein denaturationand protein fiber alignment, or combinations of these methods, followedby fixation of the fibrous structure (e.g., by rapid temperature and/orpressure change, rapid dehydration, chemical fixation, redox).

The term “hydrocolloid film” as used herein refers to a material with aninternal structure formed by the gelation of polymers into a continuouslayer in which two or more polymer chains are connected at junctionzones.

The term “modified plant source” as used herein refers to a plant thatis altered from its native state through some form of modification tocreate a plant with an enhanced characteristic. The modification canoccur through mutation or genetic engineering of the plant nucleotidesequence. The modification can also occur through the creation ofhybrids by grafting and other methods.

The term “moisture content” as used herein refer to the amount ofmoisture in a material as measured, for example by an analytical methodand in an embodiment, can be calculated as the percentage change in massfollowing the evaporation of water from a sample.

The term “natural” or “naturally occurring” as used herein refers towhat is found in nature.

The terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the feature or structuremay or may not be present, or that an event or circumstance may or maynot occur, and that the description includes instances where aparticular feature or structure is present and instances where theparticular feature or structure is absent, or instances where the eventor circumstance occurs and instances where the event or circumstancedoes not occur.

The term “pH adjusting agent” as used herein refers to an agent thatraises or lowers the pH of a substance, including a solution or asemi-solid, such as a meat analog.

The terms “polypeptide,” “peptide” and “protein” are usedinterchangeably herein to refer to a polymer of amino acid residues. Theterms apply to amino acid polymers in which one or more amino acidresidue is an artificial chemical mimetic of a corresponding naturallyoccurring amino acid, as well as to naturally occurring amino acidpolymers and non-naturally occurring amino acid polymer. Methods forobtaining (e.g., producing, isolating, purifying, synthesizing, andrecombinantly manufacturing) polypeptides are well known to one ofordinary skill in the art.

The term “amino acid” refers to naturally occurring and synthetic aminoacids, as well as amino acid analogs and amino acid mimetics thatfunction in a manner similar to the naturally occurring amino acids.Naturally occurring amino acids are those encoded by the genetic code,as well as those amino acids that are later modified, e.g.,hydroxyproline, gamma-carboxyglutamate, and O-phosphoserine. Amino acidanalogs refer to compounds that have the same basic chemical structureas a naturally occurring amino acid, i.e., a carbon that is bound to ahydrogen, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and an R group, e.g.,homoserine, norleucine, methionine sulfoxide, methionine methylsulfonium. Such analogs have modified R groups (e.g., norleucine) ormodified peptide backbones, but retain the same basic chemical structureas a naturally occurring amino acid Amino acid mimetics refers tochemical compounds that have a structure that is different from thegeneral chemical structure of an amino acid, but that functions in amanner similar to a naturally occurring amino acid.

Amino acids may be referred to herein by either their commonly knownthree letter symbols or by the one-letter symbols recommended by theIUPAC-IUB Biochemical Nomenclature Commission. Nucleotides, likewise,may be referred to by their commonly accepted single-letter codes.

An amino acid and derivatives thereof can comprise cysteine, cystine, acysteine sulfoxide, allicin, selenocysteine, methionine, isoleucine,leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan,5-hydroxytryptophan, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, asparagine,aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine,ornithine, carnosine, citrulline, carnitine, ornithine, theanine, andtaurine.

The present composition encompasses amino acid substitutions in proteinsand peptides, which do not generally alter the activity of the proteinsor peptides (H. Neurath, R. L. Hill, The Proteins, Academic Press, NewYork, 1979). In one embodiment, these substitutions are “conservative”amino acid substitutions. The most commonly occurring substitutions areAla/Ser, Val/Ile, Asp/Glu, Thr/Ser, Ala/Gly, Ala/Thr, Ser/Asn, Ala/Val,Ser/Gly, Ala/Pro, Lys/Arg, Asp/Asn, Leu/Ile, Leu/Val, Ala/Glu andAsp/Gly, in both directions.

As to “conservatively modified variants” of amino acid sequences, one ofskill will recognize that individual substitutions, deletions oradditions to a nucleic acid, peptide, polypeptide, or protein sequencewhich alters, adds or deletes a single amino acid or a small percentageof amino acids in the encoded sequence is a “conservatively modifiedvariant” where the alteration results in the substitution of an aminoacid with a chemically similar amino acid. Conservative substitutiontables providing functionally similar amino acids are well known in theart. Such conservatively modified variants are in addition to and do notexclude polymorphic variants, interspecies homologs, and alleles of theinvention.

The following eight groups each contain amino acids that areconservative substitutions for one another: 1) Alanine (A), Glycine (G);2) Aspartic acid (D), Glutamic acid (E); 3) Asparagine (N), Glutamine(Q); 4) Arginine (R), Lysine (K); 5) Isoleucine (I), Leucine (L),Methionine (M), Valine (V); 6) Phenylalanine (F), Tyrosine (Y),Tryptophan (W); 7) Serine (S), Threonine (T); and 8) Cysteine (C),Methionine (M) (see, e.g., Creighton, Proteins (1984)).

Analogue as used herein denotes a peptide, polypeptide, or proteinsequence which differs from a reference peptide, polypeptide, or proteinsequence. Such differences may be the addition, deletion, orsubstitution of amino acids, phosphorylation, sulfation, acrylation,glycosylation, methylation, farnesylation, acetylation, amidation, andthe like, the use of non-natural amino acid structures, or other suchmodifications as known in the art.

An “isolated plant protein” indicates that the plant protein (e.g., aheme-containing protein, wheat gluten, a seaweed protein, dehydrinprotein, an albumin, a globulin, conglycinin, glycinin, a zein or aprotein from any of grains (including, quinoa, barley, bulgur, farro andkasha), pulse (including, lentils, dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas,chickpeas, cow peas, pigeon peas, Bambara beans, vetches, lupins, pulsesnes), cereals (including, pearl millet, proso millet, sorghum, oats,rye, teff, triticale, finger millet, fonio, foxtail millet, kodo millet,Japanese millet, Job's Tears), pseudograins (including, amaranth,breadnut, buckwheat, chia, cockscomb, pitseed goosefoot, kaniwa,wattleseed) legumes (including, alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lupins,mesquite, carob, soybeans, peanuts, tamarind), rice, mung beans, corn,or mixtures thereof) or plant protein fraction (e.g., a 7S fraction) hasbeen separated from other components of the source material (e.g., otheranimal, plant, fungal, algal, or bacterial proteins), such that theprotein or protein fraction is at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% free, by dry weight, of the othercomponents of the source plant or animal material.

In an embodiment, a plant-based meat analog comprises a hydrocolloidfilm and one or more of a protein, a carbohydrate and/or an oil. Theprotein, carbohydrate and/or oil in an embodiment can constitute a“dough” that can be located between one or more layers of a hydrocolloidfilm. In a further embodiment, the dough can be used with a hydrocolloidfilm to create a plant-based meat analog. In a further embodiment, theplant-based meat analog provides a texture and sensory feel that mimicsthat found in a “whole muscle” cut of animal meat. In anotherembodiment, the plant-based meat analog mimics bacon and has the look,sensory feel of animal-based bacon. This comprises the marbling betweenthe meat and fat layers commonly found in animal-based bacon. Thisfurther comprises the ability to cook the plant-based bacon analog sothat it retains the ability to provide a crispiness that is commonlyfound in animal-based bacon. In an embodiment, the plant-based baconanalog has the look, texture and sensory feel of bacon from a pig, aturkey, a cow, an ostrich, a chicken, a horse, a goat, a sheep, a bird,a mammal, a reptile or any other animal from which a bacon can becreated.

In an embodiment, hydrocolloid film layers are heat sealed to each otherto improve the mechanical properties of the food product. Heat sealingcan be used to fuse two or more adjacent layers into one continuouslayer. Heat sealing can be achieved by targeted application of heat to aspecific area of the food product or may be applied to the whole foodproduct by any means of cooking or thermal treatment.

In an embodiment, hydrocolloid film layers are heat sealed to adjacentdough layers to improve the texture, mechanical strength, tensilestrength, or other textural property of the food product.

Oleogels can be formed from a wide range of structuring agents that willlead to different gelation mechanisms, occurring on a nano- andmicro-scale and that induce specific macroscopic features (e.g.,rheological/textural).

In addition, the term “oleocolloids” refers to a complex system, like adispersion of a medium (water/air) in the oil, resulting in emulsions orfoaming oleogels, or even systems like oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O)emulsions or layered structural matrices (oleofilms).

Based on their molecular weight, oleogelators are classified either aslow-molecular-weight compounds, or polymeric gelators. The structuringagents are non triacylglycerolic oleogelators, more specificallycrystalline particles or self-assembling structures, self-assembledfibrillar networks, emulsions, polymers, inorganic compounds, orlipid-based gelators such as waxes, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, ormonoglycerides.

Oleogels have been applied in the development of many food products,such as spreads, bakery products, sweets, dairy, and meat products, notonly for the replacement of trans and saturated fats but also becauseoleogels demonstrated other important roles as carriers forwater-insoluble bioactive substances, stabilizers in emulsifier-freeproducts, oil binding, or imparting heat resistance to the product.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid film iscomprised of an oleogel film having a hydrocolloid as an oleogelator. Inan embodiment, a hydrocolloid film is composed of a blend of one or morecomponents selected from but not limited to polysaccharides, oils,proteins, or carbohydrates. Each component may be naturally derived,synthetic, or altered by mechanical, enzymatic, or chemical or geneticmethods. A variety of ingredients may be used as a polysaccharide tocreate a hydrocolloid. In an embodiment, these comprise cellulose,mannans, galactomannans, xyloglucans, glucomannans, arabinoxylans,pectins, a mucilage gum, exudate gum, Beta-D-glucans, alginate, agar,carrageenan, pectin, fructans, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gum,starches, gelatin, laminarin, chitin, chitosan, xylan, arabinoxylan,mannan, laminarin, porphyran, fucoidan and a galactomannan. In anembodiment, a galactomannan comprises a locust bean gum, a senna gum, aguar gum, a tara gum and/or a fenugreek gum. In an embodiment, anexudate gum comprise a gum arabic, gum tragacanth, gum karaya and/or gumghatti. In an embodiment, a mucilage gum comprises a psyllium gum, ayellow mustard mucilage and/or a flaxseed mucilage.

In an embodiment, an alginate is derived from a brown seaweed, includingPhaeophycea. In an embodiment, an alginate is derived from Saccharinajaponica, Saccharina latissima, Undaria pinnatifida, Ecklonia cava,Lessonia nigrescens, Alaria esculenta, Macrocystis pyrifera, Laminariahyperborea, Laminaria digitata and Lamainaria japonica. Alginates canalso be synthesized by bacteria Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Azobactorvinelandii.

In a further embodiment, a carageenan is derived from red algae. In anembodiment a carageenan is derived from Chondrus crispus, Euchemacottoni, Euchema spinosum, Gigartina skottsbergi and/or Iradaealaminaroides.

In another embodiment, an agar is derived from a red algae. In anembodiment, the red-purple algae is from the class Rhodophyceae. In anembodiment an agar is derived from a species of Gracilaria,Gracilariopsis, Agarophyton and/or Gelidium.

In an embodiment a gum comprises a xanthan gum, a pullulan, a mucilagegum, an exudate gum and/or a gellan gum.

Chitin and chitosan is derived from a fungi, a yeast or a green, brownor red algae. Chitin can also be derived from the exoskeleton of insectsand shells of crustaceans (shrimp, lobster and crab).

Gelatin is derived from animal connective tissue. These comprise theskins or bones or different animals.

Gelling agents include alginate, pectin, carrageenan, gellan, gelatin,agar, modified starch, methyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. In an embodiment, a hydrocolloid gelling agent and theircharacteristics include those provided in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Examples of hydrocolloid gelling agents and theircharacteristics Hydrocolloid as a Gelling Agent Characteristics CommonApplications in Food Modified Starch Thermally irreversible opaqueDairy, desserts gels formed on cooling Agar A Thermoreversible gels onBakery products, jellies cooling κ-Carrageenan and í- Thermoreversiblegels on Pudding, milk shakes, tofu carrageenan cooling Low methoxypectin Thermoreversible gels oncooling Jams, jellies, glazes, milk-basedat acidic pH products Methyl and hydroxypropylmethyl Thermoreversiblegels on Salad dressings, cake batters, cellulose heating beverages,whipped toppings High methoxy pectin Thermally irreversible gels onJams, jellies cooling at acidic pH Gellan gum Thermoreversible highlyWater-based fruit flavored jellies, transparent gels formed on lemonjelly cooling Alginate Thermally irreversible gels donot Restructuredfood, cold prepared melt on heating bakery creams

In an embodiment, a gel is a form of matter that is intermediate betweena solid and a liquid, while still showing mechanical rigidity. Inanother embodiment, a hydrocolloid gel consists of polymer moleculesthat are cross-linked to form a tangled and interconnected moleculenetwork immersed in a liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium can bewater. An embodiment of a gel is a high moisture food that more or lessretains its shape when released from a container, a mold or some othersolid form that is capable of providing a shape to a gel. In a furtherembodiment, a gel is a viscoelastic system with a ‘storage modulus’ (G′)larger than the ‘loss modulus’ (G″). In an embodiment, a hydrocolloidcan form a gel by physical association of their polymer chains throughhydrogen bonding, hydrophobic association and cation mediatedcross-linking and differ from synthetic polymer gels, which normallyconsist of covalently cross-linked polymer chains. Hydrocolloid gels canbe referred to as a “physical gel.”

In an embodiment, a gel's formation involves the association of randomlydispersed polymer segments in dispersion in such a way so as to form athree-dimensional network that contains solvent in the interstices, thatinclude in an aspect an associated region known as ‘junction zones’ maybe formed by two or more polymer chains. The physical arrangement ofthese junction zones within the network can be affected by variousparameters like temperature, presence of ions and inherent structure ofhydrocolloid. For the gelation of hydrocolloids, the three mainmechanisms proposed are ionotropic gelation, cold-set gelation andheat-set gelation.

Ionotropic gelation occurs via cross-linking of hydrocolloid chains withions, typically a cation mediated gelation process of negatively chargedpolysaccharides. Examples of such systems are alginate, carrageenan andpectin. Ionotropic gelation is carried out by either diffusion settingor internal gelation. In cold-set gelation, hydrocolloid powders aredissolved in warm/boiling water to form a dispersion which on coolingresults in enthalpically-stabilized inter-chain helix to form segmentsof individual chains leading to a three-dimensional network. Agar andgelatin form gel by this mechanism. Heat set gels require theapplication of heat to gel (e.g., curdlan, konjac glucomannan, methylcellulose, starch and globular proteins). In many embodiments, it isusually only where heat setting is required in foods (e.g., the use ofstarch in sauces). Heat setting mechanism occurs by unfolding/expansionof native starch/protein and their subsequent rearrangement into anetwork.

In an embodiment a hydrocolloid gelling agent is at a concentration of0.1-30% w/w of the hydrocolloid gel. In a further embodiment, ahydrocolloid gelling agent comprises one or more of an agar at 1%-30%w/w, an Alginate 1-30% w/w, a Carrageenan at 0.5%-30% w/w, a highmethoxy pectin at 2%-30% w/w, a low methoxy pectin at 0.1%-30% w/w, agelatin at 1%-30% w/w or a gellan at 0.5%-30% w/w of the hydrocolloidgel.

The selection of a particular hydrocolloid to be used in a specific foodproduct depends on the characteristics of a gelling agent. An alginatecan form gels without prior heating because sodium alginate is coldwater soluble, and these cold-formed gels are heat stable. In anembodiment, an alginate comprises a preferred gelling agent forre-structured foods and for cold-prepared instant bakery custard thatare bake-stable. The rapid setting behavior of alginate gels is alsoimportant in restructured foods, including those that ae diffusion-set.Alginates as gel forming agents also find applications in restructuredfruits and vegetables, restructured fish and meat, puddings anddesserts, cold prepared bakery creams, fruit preparations and bakery jamIn icings and toppings, fruit pie fillings and table jellies alginatesare used but they are incompatible with milk, except in the presence ofcalcium sequestrants.

An agar can be used in bakery products, confectionery, Japanese dessertsand confections, meat, fish and poultry products, dairy products, icecream, peanut butter and beverages. The high melting point of agar gelsis improved by the addition of salts. Agar is used in baked goods whereit is superior to carrageenans and far superior to gelatin. Agar is alsowidely used as a gelling agent in jelly confections includingtraditional Japanese food items and confections like Yokan, Mitsumame,Tokoroten, as well as others. Agar is also used at levels of 0.5-2% togel canned meat, fish, and poultry products.

In an embodiment, a gel is analyzed by a rheological characterization, astructural characterization, a microscopic characterization and amolecular characterization employing different instruments likeviscometers, rheometers, texture measuring systems, differentialscanning calorimeters, scanning electron microscope, atomic forcemicroscope, NMR and NIR. In an embodiment, a rheologicalcharacterization of a gel is used as the results correlate to thetextural attributes of the product, which, in turn, determines itssensory characteristics and consumer acceptability. The crispiness of agel or other types of food products may be measured by the waveform andspectrogram of an audio recording, or by using an acoustic envelopedetector attached to a texture analyzer.

A variety of ingredients may be used to create a hydrocolloid thatcomprises a carbohydrate. These comprise a starch, a flour, an ediblefiber, and combinations thereof. With regard to starches, these cancomprise maltodextrin, inulin, fructo oligosaccharides, carboxymethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, hemicellulose, methylcellulose,guar gum, corn starch, oat starch, potato starch, rice starch, peastarch, seaweed starch and wheat starch. In an embodiment a carbohydrateis a sugar, sugar alcohol, sugar acid and/or sugar derivative cancomprise glucose, fructose, ribose, sucrose, arabinose,glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate,inositol, maltose, mannose, glycerol, molasses, maltodextrin, glycogen,galactose, lactose, ribitol, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, amylose,amylopectin, or xylose.

They comprise alginate, carrageenan, cellulose and its derivatives,pectin, starch and its derivatives. The hydrocolloid edible films areclassified into two categories taking into account the nature of theircomponents: proteins or polysaccharides. Hydrocolloidal materials, i.e.proteins and polysaccharides, used extensively for the formation ofedible films and coatings include agar and alginate.

A variety of ingredients may be used as all or part of a carbohydrate,including but not limited to starch, flour, edible fiber, andcombinations thereof. Examples of suitable starches comprise but are notlimited to maltodextrin, inulin, fructo oligosaccharides, pectin,carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, corn starch, oat starch, potatostarch, rice starch, pea starch, seaweed starch and wheat starch. In anembodiment a carbohydrate is a sugar, sugar alcohol, sugar acid and/orsugar derivative can comprise glucose, fructose, ribose, sucrose,arabinose, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, fructose1,6-diphosphate, inositol, maltose, mannose, glycerol, molasses,maltodextrin, glycogen, galactose, lactose, ribitol, gluconic acid,glucuronic acid, amylose, amylopectin, or xylose.

Examples of a suitable flour comprise amaranth flour, oat flour, quinoaflour, rice flour, rye flour, sorghum flour, soy flour, wheat flour,seaweed flour and corn flour. Examples of suitable edible fiber comprisebut are not limited to barley bran, seaweed fiber, carrot fiber, citrusfiber, corn bran, soluble dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, oatbran, pea fiber, rice bran, head husks, soy fiber, soy polysaccharide,wheat bran, and wood pulp cellulose. In some embodiments, some of acarbohydrate is derived from plant. The carbohydrate may be derived fromany one plant source or from multiple plant sources. In someembodiments, a carbohydrate is not derived from a plant source but isidentical or similar to carbohydrate found in a plant source, forexample, the carbohydrate is synthetically or biosynthetically generatedbut comprises molecules that have an identical or similar primarystructure as molecules found in a plant source.

In an embodiment, a flavoring agent can comprise one or more flavorprecursors, a flavoring, or a flavoring compound. In one embodiment, aflavoring agent can be a combination of a flavoring and one or moreflavor precursors. In a further embodiment, a binding agent can compriseone or more proteins that have been chemically or enzymatically modifiedto improve their textural and/or flavor properties, or to modify theirdenaturation and gelling temperatures. In a further embodiment, one ormore flavoring agents can be a sugar, a sugar alcohol, a sugar acid, asugar derivative, an oil, a free fatty acid, an amino acid or derivativethereof, a nucleoside, a nucleotide, a vitamin, an acid, a peptide, aphospholipid, a protein hydrolysate, a yeast extract, or a mixturethereof. For example, the flavor precursor can be selected from thegroup consisting of glucose, fructose, ribose, arabinose,glucose-6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate,inositol, maltose, sucrose, maltodextrin, glycogen, nucleotide-boundsugars, molasses, a phospholipid, a lecithin, inosine, inosinemonophosphate (IMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), pyrazine, adenosinemonophosphate (AMP), lactic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid,thiamine, creatine, pyrophosphate, vegetable oil, algal oil, sunfloweroil, corn oil, soybean oil, palm fruit oil, palm kernel oil, saffloweroil, flaxseed oil, rice bran oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, sunfloweroil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, mango oil, a free fattyacid, cysteine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine,threonine, tryptophan, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, asparagine,aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine,glutathione, an amino acid derivative, urea, pantothenic acid,ornithine, niacin, glycerol, citrulline, taurine, biotin, borage oil,fungal oil, blackcurrant oil, betaine, beta carotene, B-vitamins,N-Acetyl L-cysteine, iron glutamate and a peptone, or mixtures thereof.In another embodiment, the flavoring agent can be selected from thegroup consisting of a vegetable extract, a fruit extract, an acid, anantioxidant, a carotenoid, a lactone, and/or any combination offlavoring agents.

In another embodiment, a flavoring agent can comprise a lactone selectedfrom the group consisting of tetrahydro-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one,delta-octalactone, 5-ethyldihydro-2(3H)-furanone, butyrolactone,dihydro-5-pentyl-2(3H)-furanone, dihydro-3-methylene-2,5-furandione,1-pentoyl lactone, tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one,6-heptyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one, .gamma.-octalactone,5-hydroxymethyldihydrofuran-2-one, 5-ethyl-2(5H)-furanone,5-acetyldihydro-2(3H)-furanone, trans-3-methyl-4-octanolide2(5H)-furanone, 3-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2,5-urandione,3,4-dihydroxy-5-methyl-dihydrofuran-2-one,5-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, 6-tetradecalactone, anddihydro-4-hydroxy-2(3H)-furanone. In some embodiments, the lactones canbe 5-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, butyrolactone,gamma-octalactone, and 6-tetradecalactone.

In another embodiment, a flavoring agent can be a juice from a plant,including a vegetable. The juice can be a vegetable puree, a vegetableextract, a fruit juice, a fruit puree, or a fruit extract. In anembodiment, a vegetable juice, vegetable puree, vegetable extract, afruit juice, a fruit puree, or a fruit extract is a Cucumis juice,puree, or extract from a cucumber or a melon. In an embodiment, theproteins in a vegetable juice, vegetable puree, vegetable extract, fruitjuice, fruit puree, or fruit extract are denatured. Denaturation can bedone by cooking or otherwise treating a protein prior to its addition toa plant-based meat-like product. In one embodiment, the vegetable juice,vegetable puree, vegetable extract, fruit juice, fruit puree, or fruitextract can be denatured by heating to about 40 degree. C., to about 50degree. C., to about 60 degree. C., to about 70 degree. C., to about 80degree. C., to about 90 degree. C., to about 100 degree. C., to about110 degree. C., to about 120 degree. C. or to about 130.degree. C. priorto addition to the plant-based meat-like product.

In an embodiment, a plant-based meat-like product is made to have aflavor that is close to or replicates meat from an animal by using oneor more carotenoids, wherein the carotenoids are selected from the groupconsisting of (3-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein,trans-(3-apo-8′-carotenal, lycopene, canthaxanthin, and combinationsthereof.

In an embodiment, a flavoring agent can be a mixture used to make abroth that can be made by combining a heme containing protein or ironsalt with one or more other flavoring agents and a fat. The broth can becreated by heating the mixture to obtain a flavored broth containing oneor more flavoring agents. Suitable flavoring agents to be included in abroth comprise sugars, sugar alcohols, sugar derivatives, free fattyacids, triglycerides, alpha-hydroxy acids, dicarboxylic acids, aminoacids and derivatives thereof, nucleosides, nucleotides, vitamins,peptides, phospholipids, lecithin, pyrazine, creatine, pyrophosphate andorganic molecules.

In an embodiment, a flavoring agent can include a polar group, includingthose the group consisting of choline, ethanolamine, serine, phosphate,glycerol-3-phosphate, inositol and inositol phosphates. In anotherembodiment, flavoring agents can comprise (e.g., 5′-ribonucleotidesalts, glutamic acid salts, glycine salts, guanylic acid salts,hydrolyzed proteins, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, insomniac acidsalts, monosodium glutamate, sodium chloride, galacto-oligosaccharides,sorbitol, animal meat flavor, animal meat oil, artificial flavoringagents, aspartamine, fumarate, garlic flavor, herb flavor, malate,natural flavoring agents, natural smoke extract, natural smoke solution,onion flavor, shiitake extract, spice extract, spice oil, sugars, yeastextract). In a further embodiment, a plant-based meat analog cancomprise a coloring agent.

In one embodiment, a coloring agent comprises FD&C (Food Drug &cosmetics) Red Nos. 14 (erythrosine), FD&C Red Nos. 17 (allura red),FD&C Red Nos. 3 (carmosine), FD&C Red Nos. 4 (fast red E), FD&C Red Nos.40 (allura red AC), FD&C Red Nos. 7 (ponceau 4R), FD&C Red Nos. 9(amaranth), FD&C Yellow Nos. 13 (quinoline yellow), FD&C Yellow Nos. 5(tartazine), FD&C Yellow Nos. 6 (sunset yellow), artificial colorants,natural colorants, titanium oxide, annatto, anthocyanins, beet juice,beta-APE 8 carotenal, beta-carotene, black currant, burnt sugar,canthaxanthin, caramel, carmine/carminic acid, cochineal extract,curcumin, lutein, mixed carotenoids, monascus, paprika, red cabbagejuice, riboflavin, saffron, titanium dioxide, turmeric.

In an embodiment, the plant-based meat analog comprises at least0.00001%, at least 0.0001%, at least 0.001%, at least 0.01%, at least0.1%, at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%,at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10 or moreby weight of a flavoring agent. In an embodiment, the plant-based meatanalog comprises about 0.00001%, about 0.0001%, about 0.001%, about0.01%, about 0.1%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%,about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10% or more by weight of aflavoring agent. In an embodiment, the plant-based meat analog comprisesno more than 0.00001%, no more than 0.0001%, no more than 0.001%, nomore than 0.01%, no more than 0.1%, no more than 1%, no more than 2%, nomore than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no morethan 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10% or more byweight of a flavoring agent.

In a further embodiment, the plant-based meat analog comprises at least0.1%, at least 0.5%, at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%,at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, atleast 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, atleast 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, atleast or 20% by weight of a binding agent. In a further embodiment, theplant-based meat analog comprises about 0.1%, about 0.5%, about 1%,about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%,about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about or 20% by weightof a binding agent. In a further embodiment, the plant based meat analogcomprises no more than 0.1%, no more than 0.5%, no more than 1%, no morethan 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%,no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%,no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%,no more than 19%, no more than or 20% by weight of a binding agent.

In an embodiment, a binding agent is added to the plant-based meatanalog to achieve a cohesive texture, tensile strength and feel. In oneembodiment, a binding agent comprises a carob bean gum, cornstarch,dried whole eggs, dried egg whites, gum arabic, konjac flour,maltodextrin, potato flakes, tapioca starch, wheat gluten, vegetablegum, porphyrin, carrageenan, methylcellulose, and/or xanthan gum. One ofskill will recognize that a binding agent can be determined by testingtwo or more different binding agents to determine which one achieves thedesired cohesive texture, tensile strength and feel. In one embodiment,the binding agent is carrageenan and/or methylcellulose.

A challenge with replicating animal fats with plant-based ingredients isthe lower melting temperature of vegetable oils compared to animal fats.As a result, oils used in plant-based meat products tend to leak out ofthe product when cooked, creating an unrealistic and undesirable cookingexperience compared to cooking real animal meat.

To solve the problem of oil leakage, some plant-based meat productscontain methylcellulose or other cellulose derivatives. Methylcelluloseis a substance that has a unique property of gelling when heated. Thisproperty provides structure and helps contain oils within the foodproduct when included in a plant-based meat product formulation.

Because methylcellulose is a chemically modified ingredient, it isconsidered by many consumers to be artificial and therefore undesirableon the ingredient list. As a result, manufacturers are seeking ways toeliminate methylcellulose from their formulations.

In an embodiment, a food product includes a composition that mimicsanimal fat without the use of methylcellulose.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a food product withinternal hydrocolloid film is provided where the entire film isplant-based. In one embodiment, the hydrocolloid film is composed of apolysaccharide such that it is at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% free, by dry weight, of the othercomponents of the source material. In another embodiment, thehydrocolloid film is composed of a protein such that it is at least 2%,at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%,45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% free, bydry weight, of the other components of the source material.

The term “whole muscle” refers to cuts of animal meat and seafood thatmaintain some or all the structure of muscle tissue from the livinganimal intact, e.g. food products that are minimally processed. The termis intended to include food products having undergone typicalpreparations for animal meat and seafood such as cutting into steaks orfillets, or the trimming or cutting of fat, skin, bone, scales, organs,connective tissue, or inedible portions of the animal carcass. The termis also intended to include cured or dried meats.

Bundles of muscle fibers, called fascicles, are covered by a perimysiumsheath. Muscle fibers are covered by the endomysium. Muscle grain andmuscle fascicles are known to vary significantly between muscle types.Fascicles vary in size, from approximately 1-10 mm. A larger bundle sizeof fibers would presumably translate into a firmer meat texture.Fascicle size is correlated to sensory tenderness and shear forcetexture in meat. Thickness of the perimysium has been shown to becorrelated to shear force in chicken and pork. Thicker perimysium meltsmore slowly and thicker regions have a different composition such asmore typed collagen, more heat-stable elastin, or more cross-links.

Myofiber adhesion to perimysium and fiber—fiber adhesions are the mostfragile structures in cooked meat. The initial fracture plane is usuallyat the endomysium-perimysium junction. When stress is applied parallelto the fiber plane, the fracture occurs in the endomysium, whereas whenstress is applied perpendicular to the fiber plane, the fracture occursat the perimysium-endomysium junction.

The term “plant-based” refers to any substance derived from plants,fungi, bacteria, cyanobacteria, macroalgae, or microalgae and includesmicroorganisms and substances produced via fermentation, whether bynaturally occurring or genetically modified microorganisms. It is notintended to encompass products made from the butchering or capture offarmed or wild-caught animals.

The term “dehydration” means the partial or complete removal of waterfrom a substance. A “dehydrated” product is meant to convey a substancethat has had some water, but not necessarily all water, removed from itsinitial state prior to the start of dehydration of the product.Dehydration can be for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40,45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120,125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160, 165, 170, 175, 180, 185, 190,195, 200, 205, 210, 215, 220, 225 230, 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265,270, 295, 280, 285, 290, 295 minutes or more.

In an embodiment, a cheese analog is comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloidgel, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises about 25% to 90% oil,about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to 20% agar, about 0% to 8% salt, andabout 20% to 70% water. In another embodiment of the present invention,a cheese analog is comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel, wherein theoil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%,at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% water.

In another embodiment, an egg analog, including a cooked egg analog iscomprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloidgel comprises about 25% to 90% oil, about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to20% agar, about 0% to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.

Bacon is a food product that is typically cut from the belly or loin ofa pig but can also be made from other animal meats, including turkey.Bacon is typically cured using a combination of salt, sugar, and smoke,which also act as flavorings. Other flavorings comprise brown sugar,maple syrup, molasses, honey, garlic, alcohols such as bourbon, anddifferent wood species such as applewood, cherrywood, and hickory. Smokeand other flavors can be either natural or artificial and include liquidsmoke. Bacon sold as “cured” is usually used to denote bacon cured withnitrates as a preservative.

Depending on the degree of cooking, the texture of bacon can bemanipulated from a texture that is chewy and soft when cooked for ashorter period of time, to crispier and crunchier when cooked for alonger period time and the bacon becomes tougher in texture, and evenburned or charred.

Bacon is popular around the world, however it is prepared, seasoned, andserved in many different ways and forms depending on the region. In theUnited States, bacon is typically prepared as thin slices of pork belly.It is usually smoked and consumed as a hot side dish, often withbreakfast. It is also commonly served at lunch in salads and sandwiches,for example in a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich. Another common useof bacon is as a topping on burgers, for example on a bacon cheeseburgeror a chicken club sandwich, which includes a grilled or fried chickenbreast or strip, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Bacon is even consumed as asweet, for example in a chocolate-covered bacon or a deep-fried breadedbacon. The characteristic appearance of American bacon is of alternatingstripes of fat, which are generally clear and meat, which has a reddishcolor. The stripes of fat and meat can be in relatively equalproportions, or one can be greater than the others.

Canadian bacon is cut from the loin of the pig, and is a lean cut, withlittle visible fat. English rasher is a type of bacon cut from the pigloin, but which contains more fat than Canadian bacon, and is commonlyeaten as a breakfast food. Italian pancetta is a bacon typically curedrather than smoked, is prepared cubed or very thinly sliced, and oftenused as a topping for vegetables, sauces, and pizzas. Chinese La Rue, or“Lap Yuk,” is a bacon cut from the pork belly and comes with the pigskinattached that forms a rind, and it is typically air-cured with soysauces, brown sugar, and spices until it's hard. Or it's briefly cureduntil it is smoked. Sometimes liquor such as “Baijiou” is used to curethe meat. French lardons are a type of bacon that is prepared as smallcubes of fatty pork belly. They are often fried and used as additions toquiche or salads. Lardons are typically cured, but not smoked, beforecooking. Hungarian bacon is frequently prepared with garlic and paprikaand sliced and smoked and is often served skewered and cooked over afire. German bacon is called “Bauchspeck” and consists of the fatty cutsof pork from the pork belly, and it contains layers of meat and fat.This cut is frequently diced or cut into strips and often cured andsmoked. Typically Bauchspeck is used for cooking, but it is sometimesserved alongside appetizers. Korean bacon is called “Samgyeopsal-gui”and is thinly sliced grilled pork belly. The most common cooking methodis on a Korean BBQ grill. This cut is typically cooked plain or withgarlic.

Another aspect of bacon is that it can become rigid and stiff whencooked. This rigid and stiffness is capable of imparting a crispiness tothe bacon, which in an embodiment also makes it crunchy to bite. In anembodiment, it is a desirable outcome to create a bacon that is crispyand crunchy.

Bacon is also able to be eaten as a snack by hand without the use ofutensils such as a fork and knife.

Jerky is a type of dried meat that is like, or can be a bacon, which iscured and further dried. An embodiment of the present invention is ajerky.

Jerky is a dried and cured meat, typically thinly sliced, from anynumber of meats for example beef, turkey, bison, elk, venison, pork,chicken, duck, goose, and ostrich. Typical seasonings for jerky comprisesalt, sugar, and smoke, and popular flavors comprise teriyaki, citrus,pineapple, black truffle, hickory, honey, liquid smoke, vinegar, pepper,jalapeno, garlic, and alcohols such as whiskey or bourbon. Nitrates maysometimes be added as preservatives.

Jerky is typically low in moisture and has a water to protein ratio ofabout 0.75 to 1. The dehydration process of the meat analog in thepresent invention may be used to create the texture, mouthfeel, andappearance of a food product resembling jerky from a number of meatsources, including the aforementioned animal meats.

Beef jerky and other meat jerky types are often characterized by asegmentation of meat and fat that creates a marbled texture, with chunksof dark meat surrounded by lighter colored tissue that is often sinewyor fatty. This segmentation creates a texture and mouthfeel that allowsthe jerky to tear along the tissue in a distinctive manner when apulling force is applied, such as when a piece is eaten, and a bite istorn away from the remaining piece of meat. The binding force of thetissue and the tension force required to tear jerky is a characteristicfeature of jerky and bacon.

The segmentation pattern allows for an ease of tearing by hand intosmaller bite size pieces. In an embodiment of the present invention,hydrocolloid films are used to create a segmentation pattern and/orstructure to a jerky meat analog that resembles the texture, appearance,and mouthfeel of a jerky and that also reproduces a similar mechanicaltearing force when the jerky is pulled apart. In an embodiment, thisjerky meat analog is made with a plant-based protein concentrate. In afurther embodiment, the plant-based protein concentrate is made with aseaweed protein concentrate. To give the jerky meat analog its look,colorings and flavorings can be added to the mixture used to create thejerky meat analog. Among the flavorings that can be added are smoke,beef, turkey, bison, elk, venison, pork, chicken, duck, goose, andostrich or combinations of two or more flavorings to create a finaljerky meat analog.

Sinew is fibrous, linear tissue that in an animal binds muscle to bone,bone to bone, usually a tendon or ligament. In an embodiment of thepresent invention, hydrocolloid films or hydrocolloid-based oleogels areused to reproduce the texture and mouthfeel of a sinew-like portion ofan animal meat, including a jerky.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the food product is intendedfor consumption by a pet such as a dog or a cat. In an embodiment, a petcan be a dog, a cat, a hamster, a gerbil, a horse, a pig, a goat, a cow,a sheep or a reptile.

With regard to embodiments of the present invention, FIGS. 1A-1D show,respectively, views of representative a finished food product comprisinga plant-based meat analog in accordance with the present invention. Inthis embodiment, the finished food product comprising a plant-based meatanalog is shaped like a beef loin, a salmon filet (both with partialcross-sections), a planar view of a “steak-cut” shape from beef or pork,and a steak-cut of a large fish (e.g. salmon, swordfish, or tuna). In anembodiment, a finished food product comprising a plant-based meat analogshown in FIGS. 1A-1D include the use of plant-based hydrocolloid films16, 26, 32 to provide the internal structure and external structure, forexample 12, 22, 33 and thus texture for a variety of filler doughs suchas plant-based doughs or cultivated animal cell-based doughs andmixtures thereof. In an embodiment, the meat analog can be comprised ofportions that mimic the color and texture of meat 18, 28, 36 or 46 thatare interspersed with portions that mimic the color and texture of a fat14, 24, 34 or 44 wherein the fat or the meat continue throughout themeat like analog. In an embodiment a pork roast (FIG. 1A), a salmon(FIG. 1B), a beef or pork steak (FIG. 1C) or a steak cut of a large fish(FIG. 1D). In each of FIGS. 1A-1D the lines through the cut of meat orfish correspond in an embodiment to a hydrocolloid film that in eachinstance can be used to provide in an aspect, the structure, the textureand feel of the meat analog.

In a particular embodiment, FIG. 1A depicts a whole beef tenderloin 10having an outer hydrocolloid film 12 which acts to contain and shape theassembled individual meat analog food product components 14. Thesecomponents 14 in one embodiment are generally tubular in shape and eachincludes a separate hydrocolloid film layer 16 enclosing a dough layer18, which can comprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersedblend of each, wherein the dough layer can be derived or come from ananimal, plant or insect. In addition, such as for large dough layerthicknesses, the end of a hydrocolloid film 16 may be embedded in adough layer 18 to provide further internal structural support bypartially or totally dividing portions of a dough layer 18.

In comparison to the substitute beef food product meat analog shown inFIG. 1A, the substitute fish (salmon) food product meat analog 20depicted in FIG. 1B has components 24 that are more plate-like andplanar in shape to create the “flake-like” texture and appearance ofsome fish (e.g. haddock, salmon, etc.) when consumed. Each of components24 includes, however, a separate hydrocolloid film 26 on either side ofthe “flake-like” texture that encloses a dough 28.

Still further, FIG. 1C depicts a novel finished food product meat analogthat can mimic the “steak-cut” shape of beef as mentioned above usingplant-based hydrocolloid films and an appropriate filler dough.Specifically, food product 30 contains a plurality of food productcomponents 33 each having a film 34 and filler dough 36. In FIG. 1Cembodiment, the outermost film 32 constrains food product component 33.The inner films 34 divides the dough, which can comprise either a fat ormeat mimic, or an interspersed blend of each, into segments to provideinternal product structure and improved texture. To further resemble themarbling of fat found in certain steak cuts of whole-muscle meat, adough layer 38 fills the interstices between the larger dough “tubes”and is composed of a substance resembling animal fat, and which maycontain a saturated oil or whitening agent to create an opaqueappearance.

In an embodiment a “tube” or “tubes” or “tubular” can be in any shape,including a circle, a square, a triangle, or any shape, geometric or notwithin which a dough can be located. In another embodiment, a “tube” or“tubes” or “tubular” can comprise a hydrocolloid film that encapsulatesor provides a border within which a dough is located. To the extent thata hydrocolloid film is a border, it does not have to encapsulate orencompass a dough on all sides. Instead a dough can be exposed on one ormore sides where a hydrocolloid film is not located.

A substitute steak-shaped finished food product meat analog can also beconstructed by appropriately assembled tubular or planar food productmeat analog components shown in FIG. 1A or FIG. 1B or combinations ofthese components. FIG. 1D shows a finished food product meat analog 40mimicking a steak-cut of a large fish that uses tubular-shaped foodcomponents 44, typically near the fish spine region 40 a, and assembledwith planar-shaped food component meat analog 46 in the tapering sideregion 40 b.

The present invention also relates to structures providing layered foodcomponent meat analogs, a plurality of which can be assembled intofinished food product meat analogs, such as the ones depicted in FIGS.1A-1D. As stated above, the layered food component meat analogs can beassembled in shapes that resemble the shapes and cuts of animal (e.g.beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc.) products, including the striationsassociated with the fat and meat portions of an animal derived meat thatare traditionally sold to consumers in cooked or raw form.

As embodied herein, with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a representativelayered meat analog food component 110 is shown. Component 110 isgenerally tubular shaped that is, having a characteristic length 112 andthickness 114. In one embodiment member 110 has a thickness of about 0.5cm and an unstretched length of about 10 cm, yielding a length/thicknessratio of about 20. While FIG. 2A depicts a generally straight, linearshape of component 110, a slightly curved or bent shape can be employed.Similarly, while the cross-section of 110 in FIG. 2B depicts a generallyround, uniformly circular shape, other shapes can be configured, such asoval, partially indented, or irregular.

Referring to the enlarged cross sections of layered meat analog foodcomponent 110 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, at least two adjacent layers116, 118, of filler dough separated by a thin hydrocolloid film 120 andenclosed by hydrocolloid film 122 as shown. In an embodiment, doughlayers 116, 118 can be any aforementioned dough, including animal-based,and further including natural or cultured cells, or plant-based,preferably having a high protein component. Each of dough layers 116,118, may be of the same or different compositions and textures. Doughlayers 116 and 118, which can comprise either a fat or meat mimic, or aninterspersed blend of each, may be paste-like or preformed (e.g.extruded semi-circular) with moderately cohesive strips. Thecompositions of dough layers 116, 118 should contain appropriate amountsof oil and water, and may have suitable flavoring ingredients (e.g.salt, pepper, spices, etc.) depending on the intended finished foodproduct.

Importantly, while the outer hydrocolloid film layer 122 of FIG. 3Afunctions generally to constrain the contents of layered meat analogfood component 110, the inner hydrocolloid film 120 provides internalsupport or scaffolding for the filler dough layers 116, 118, which cancomprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersed blend of each.This internal support can be used to influence the desired texture ofthe final meat analog food product as well as the ability to usedifferent filler dough compositions for layer 116 and layer 118. Whilehydrocolloid film layers 120 and 122 are shown as parts of the same filmsheet for obvious ease of manufacturing (e.g. rolling or folding), thisinvention also contemplates separate film layers using differenthydrocolloid materials and/or film thicknesses to influence not only thetexture, but also the overall performance of components 110 (e.g.elasticity, bendability, etc.), in assembling the desired final meatanalog food product, and thus the performance of the final food productas well.

Still further, the present invention contemplates layered meat analogfood components wherein more than two adjacent filler dough layers,which can comprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersed blendof each, are separated by plant-based hydrocolloid films. FIGS. 4A and4B depict a layered food component wherein an elongated tubular-shapedmeat analog food component similar to that shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B buthas at least three layers of a filler dough of a plant or animal-basedmaterial, which can comprise either a fat or meat mimic, or aninterspersed blend of each, namely spiral layers 130, 132, and 134separated by spiral internal hydrocolloid films 136 and 138 and areconstrained by an external hydrocolloid film 140. It is contemplatedthat the layered meat analog food component 130 can be fabricated byrolling a pre-formed continuous sheet of filler dough, which cancomprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersed blend of each,together with a continuous hydrocolloid film to form the internallayered structure and then extending the film (without the fillerdough), to constitute the member-constraining external hydrocolloid film140.

A further embodiment of the present meat analog layered food componentinvention is depicted in FIGS. 5A and 5B which show a meat analoglayered food component 150 having a plate-like, generally planar shape,that is, wherein the length 152 and width 154 are both substantiallygreater than the component thickness 156. In an embodiment, it isexpected that a plurality of meat analog layered food component 150 canadvantageously be assembled into a finished meat analog food product tomimic animal meat musculature such as fish filets which when cooked byheat or chemicals will easily separate into large flakes as alluded toabove in relation to FIG. 1B. Such fish types comprise salmon, haddock,cod, tilapia, catfish, trout, bass, etc. In an embodiment, the crosssection in FIG. 5B, layered meat analog food component 150 comprises atleast two internal layers 158 and 160 of filler dough material, whichcan comprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersed blend ofeach, separated by a planar, plant-based hydrocolloid film 162. Meatanalog layered food component 150 further comprises an outer, planar,plant-based hydrocolloid film 164 surrounding the internal filler doughlayers 158, 160, and hydrocolloid layer 162. As in the previouslydescribed elongated, meat analog layered food component 110 shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the inner planar hydrocolloid film 162 and the outerplanar hydrocolloid film 164 can be sections of a folded continuousfilm, or separate films. Similarly, the filler dough layers 158 and 160can be of the same or different materials and can be pre-formed sheetsor paste.

Further, and in another embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 6B, planar meatanalog layered food component 190 has three planar, filler dough layers192, 194, and 196 separated by plant-based hydrocolloid films 198, and200. The meat analog layered food component 190 has a further outsideplanar plant-based hydrocolloid film 202. Hydrocolloid films 198, 200,and 202 may be separate films or sections of a continuous film. Therespective ends and edges of both tubular and planar meat analog layeredfood components 110, 130, 150 and 190 may be tapered to better conformto adjacent or partially overlapping components when assembled into afinished meat analog layered food product such as shown in FIGS. 1A-1D.Also, free ends and edges may be sealed such as by local heating tobetter retain liquid (oil, water) constituents.

The present invention also relates to an embodiment of meat analog foodproduct 170 as depicted in FIG. 7A, of a layered meat analog foodproduct resembling a boneless skinless chicken breast, with thinlylayered hydrocolloid films (as depicted in this embodiment of thecrosscut by squiggly lines) such that the spacing between layersapproximates the diameter of muscle fibers bundles. The cross sectionshown in FIG. 7B shows that hydrocolloid films 172 and 174 are layeredin a corrugated fashion and are touching at point 178, creatingelongated tubes with a characteristic length and diameter of chickenmuscle fibers.

Another embodiment depicted in FIG. 8 relates to a meat analog foodproduct component 220 imitating bundled muscle tissue fibers. In thisembodiment, the hydrocolloid films 222, 224, and 226 imitate thestructure and function of the sheath of fibrous elastic tissuesurrounding a muscle (e.g. the epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium,respectively). Individual tubular dough layers 228, in the shape ofmuscle fibers, are enveloped by hydrocolloid films 226. A plurality oftubular layers are bundled together by hydrocolloid film 224, and thelarger bundles formed by film 224 again assembled and held into an evenlarger tubular structure by hydrocolloid film 222. Interstitial areas230 and 232 may be filled with a meat-like or fat-like filler dough ormay be unfilled (e.g. the hydrocolloid films are directly adjacent tothe surrounding films).

It is intended that the term “layered food component” is meant tocomprise constructions where a hydrocolloid film separates and definessurfaces on two or more adjacent dough layer portions when viewed inrepresentative axial or longitudinal cross-sectional views of the foodcomponent, such as spiral and folded configurations.

In an embodiment, hydrocolloid films separating dough layers, which cancomprise either a fat or meat mimic, or an interspersed blend of each,are fused together in locations where they touch and connect. In anembodiment, the fusion can be gelling.

In an embodiment, hydrocolloid films separating dough layers containoils or fats entrapped as droplets in the hydrocolloid gel matrix. In anembodiment, the hydrocolloid film is formed by the setting of anoil-in-hydrocolloid emulsion.

In an embodiment, a whole cut meat analog is a bacon. With regard to abacon, it is commonly associated with a textural and sensorial feel ofthe bacon is its crispiness. Thus, in an embodiment, a meat analog baconhas a textural and sensorial feel of a bacon derived or from an animal.

Crispiness is a distinctive attribute of some foods, including bacon.Crispiness is commonly associated with a pleasing sensory feel to theindividual consuming the food, including bacon. Sensory, mechanical, andacoustic data have been used by researchers to measure and define theproperties of what makes foods such as bacon crispy. This data iscapable of distinguishing crispy foods from crunchy foods by the pitchof the sound made. As the pitch and loudness of the sound increases, sodoes the perception of crispiness.

The sound of crispy foods is perceived by the consumer from multiplesources: sound that travels through the air, sound that travels throughthe soft tissues of the mouth, and sound that travels through thejawbone to the ears. To be easily perceived, bone-mediated sound andair-mediated sound must be propagated at 160 Hz. Crispiness is usuallydetermined by the act of biting, whereas crunchiness is generallydetermined by chewing with the molars.

Oil content is also an important factor in crispiness. Fried foodsproduce a pleasing crispy texture owing to the sound made by thereflection of sound at the oil-air interface. Therefore, in anembodiment it is an advantage that a plant-based meat analog foodproduct, including a plant-based meat analog bacon, be comprised of anoil and/or water (moisture) content that results in a crispy texturaland sensorial feel.

Water contained in hydrocolloid gels can be bound in different forms,either weakly bound or strongly bound. Hydrocolloid gels can alsocontain non-bound free water. The amount of water in a hydrocolloid gelcan affect its pore structure, diffusion behavior of water and solutes,and sorption and permeation behavior.

Water activity is a measure of free or unbound water in a food product.As such, the water activity of a hydrocolloid gel may influence itsphysical properties and thus its cooking behavior, including its meltingtemperature. High water activity in a hydrocolloid gel may be used as anindicator of the amount of unbound water in the gel.

In food applications, typical formulations for agar gel specify thatagar should be added to water at 0.5% to 2% by weight. Agar gels have amelting temperature of 185° F. Because a hot skillet at medium heat isabout 300° F. to 400° F., a plant-based meat made with an agar gel madeat the recommended percent composition will liquefy and melt in the panif it is cooked like an animal meat product.

One novel aspect of the present invention is the use of dehydration ofan oil-in-hydrocolloid oleogel to reduce the moisture level to a pointwhere the gel will not melt on a hot skillet. When the gel contains anoil interspersed within a hydrocolloid gel matrix, the inventionsimulates animal fat in appearance, texture, and cooking behavior. Inthis way, the invention solves a key challenge to reproducing theability of many animal fats to retain a solid and cohesive form attypical cooking temperatures, without the use of methylcellulose. Thiseffect could be the result of the driving off of unbound or weakly-boundwater in the hydrocolloid matrix, but the present invention is notintended to be bound by this possible explanation, but only by theappended claims and their equivalents. Because salt and sugar bind tofree water, their presence as solutes in the hydrocolloid gel will alsoaffect cooking behavior. Salt, for example, increases the meltingtemperature of an agar gel. It has also been observed that the thicknessof the gel, concentration of solutes, and surface topography of the gelcan also influence the melting behavior when heated on a skillet.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid film,including a film formed by an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel, is partially orfully dehydrated on the outside of a food product to resist melting andcontain oils while cooking, while inner film layers contain higherlevels of moisture that may or may not melt upon cooking.

Dehydration of a hydrocolloid film can change its mechanical properties,including tensile strength and melting behavior. In an embodiment of thepresent invention, a hydrocolloid film, including a film made by anoil-in-hydrocolloid gel, is partially or fully dehydrated beforecombining with dough layers.

In an embodiment, the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel used in an animal fatanalog may be hydrated or dehydrated to a target moisture level where itmelts upon cooking, and where the viscosity and appearance of the meltedsubstance when hot and/or when cold is similar to the viscosity andappearance of melted animal fat when hot and/or when cold (i.e.congealed).

In an embodiment, the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel used in an animal fatanalog may be dehydrated to a target moisture level where it does notmelt upon cooking.

Another novel aspect of the present invention is the crispiness thatdehydration imparts on the plant-based animal fat analog previouslydescribed. Before dehydration, the hydrocolloid gel containing oil issoft and little to no sound is produced when a consumer bites into thefat analog. The pre-cooking dehydration process changes the texture ofthe product so that it emits an increasingly loud and crispy sound withdecreasing moisture content. The improvement in crispiness of thedehydrated product is achieved by a combination of the dehydrationprocess and oil droplet size and can be used to make a product that iscrispy in both an uncooked and/or cooked state, or to make a productthat simulates the crispiness of an already cooked product without theneed for cooking.

The size of droplets in an emulsion have a strong influence on therheology, appearance, and stability of an emulsion. For example, thecreaming stability (i.e. the resistance to phase separation) of anemulsion decreases with increasing droplet size (i.e. larger sizedroplets will quickly separate). An inventive aspect of the presentinvention is the use of a hydrocolloid gelling agent in the aqueousphase to trap larger oil droplets via gelation and thereby preservetheir size and structure in the final food product. The ability tomaintain droplet sizes within the hydrocolloid gel matrix that are bestsuited to produce crispy sound and texture is enabled, in an embodiment,by mixing oil into an aqueous hydrocolloid solution at low shear toproduce large droplet sizes. The “poorly homogenized” emulsion thusformed is quickly cooled and set into a gel. Using this method, theoptimal droplet size, once achieved, can be rapidly stabilized bygelation.

In an embodiment, dehydration and oil droplet size are designed tocreate a crispy meat analog, for example a crispy bacon meat.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the size of oil dropletswithin the hydrocolloid gel matrix is tuned to produce a target pitchand loudness that matches the sound of an animal fat when eaten.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the size of oil dropletswithin the hydrocolloid gel matrix is controlled by a mixing speedand/or shear force that is different from the shear force and/or mixingspeed used to mix in other ingredients.

In an embodiment, the size of oil droplets within the hydrocolloid gelmatrix creates a rough surface texture after dehydration resembling thesurface texture of the meat portion or a fat portion of an animal meat,including a bacon.

In an embodiment, the size of oil droplets in the matrix formed by theoil-in-hydrocolloid gel is about the same size as individual segments ofmuscle fibers in a whole cut meat product, and upon dehydration, createsa segmentation pattern in the meat portion or the fat portion resemblingthe animal meat product.

In an embodiment, the segmentation of the meat or fat analog creates atearing behavior in the meat or fat portions that is similar to thevisual appearance and/or tensile strength of real animal meat or fatwhen torn.

In an embodiment, the animal fat analog resembles a dairy cheese.

In an embodiment, the animal fat analog resembles a cooked egg yolk orcooked egg white.

In an embodiment, the animal meat analog resembles a jerky.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a bacon analog is produced bycombining two or more hydrocolloid gels resembling a fat analog, whichis generally translucent in appearance and a meat analog, whichgenerally has a reddish tint, into a bacon pattern with striping betweena translucent fat analog and a reddish meat analog. The two portions arearranged and composed so that upon dehydration, the dehydrated piecesdeform in such a way as to resemble the characteristic ripples of cookedanimal bacon, for instance bacon obtained from a pig.

In an embodiment, the composite formed by the two portions may be cutinto strips in such a way and pattern as to promote the formation ofripples during the deformation caused by the dehydration process.

In an embodiment, one or more of the meat or fat portions of thecomposite are molded or imprinted with a pattern that increases theresemblance of the bacon analog surface texture to animal bacon eitherbefore or after dehydration, or before or after cooking.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a crispiness of atleast 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%,at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, atleast 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, atleast 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, atleast 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, atleast 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, atleast 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, atleast 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, atleast 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, atleast 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, atleast 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, atleast 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, atleast 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, atleast 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, atleast 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, atleast 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, atleast 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, atleast 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, atleast 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least 100% of an animalderived, sourced and/or based bacon.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a crispiness of about1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%,about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%,about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%,about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%,about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%,about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%,about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%,about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about99% or about 100% of an animal derived, sourced and/or based bacon.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a crispiness of nomore than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no morethan 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than 24%, no more than25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%, no more than29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than 32%, no more than33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than 52%, no more than53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%, no more than57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than 60%, no more than61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than 80%, no more than81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%, no more than85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than 88%, no more than89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or no more than 100% of ananimal derived, sourced and/or based bacon.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has agar at aconcentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29% or at least30% or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has agar at aconcentration of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30% or more w/w of theplant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a agar at aconcentration of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, nomore than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no morethan 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no morethan 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no morethan 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no morethan 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no morethan 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no morethan 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30% or more w/w of theplant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has Protein at aconcentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29% or at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79% or at least80% or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a protein at aconcentration of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%,about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%,about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about78%, about 79%, about 80%, or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a protein at aconcentration of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, nomore than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no morethan 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no morethan 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no morethan 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no morethan 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no morethan 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no morethan 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no morethan 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no morethan 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no morethan 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no morethan 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no morethan 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no morethan 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no morethan 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no morethan 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no morethan 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no morethan 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no morethan 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no morethan 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no morethan 80% or more w/w/ of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a carbohydrate at aconcentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29% or at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49% or at least50% or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a carbohydrate at aconcentration of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, or more w/w ofthe plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a carbohydrate at aconcentration of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, nomore than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no morethan 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no morethan 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no morethan 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no morethan 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no morethan 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no morethan 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no morethan 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no morethan 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no morethan 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no morethan 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no morethan 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50% or more w/w of theplant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has an oil at aconcentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29% or at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94% or at least95% or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has an oil at aconcentration of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%,about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%,about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%,about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95% or more w/w of theplant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has an oil at aconcentration of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, nomore than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no morethan 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no morethan 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no morethan 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no morethan 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no morethan 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no morethan 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no morethan 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no morethan 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no morethan 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no morethan 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no morethan 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no morethan 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no morethan 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no morethan 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no morethan 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no morethan 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no morethan 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no morethan 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no morethan 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no morethan 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no morethan 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no morethan 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95% or morew/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has water at aconcentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29% or at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% or morew/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a water concentrationof about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%,about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%,about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%,about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%,about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%,about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%,about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%,about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%,about 99% or more w/w of the plant-based analog.

In an embodiment, a plant-based animal analog has a water concentrationof no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%,no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, nomore than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, nomore than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, nomore than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, nomore than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than 24%, nomore than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%, nomore than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than 32%, nomore than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than 36%, nomore than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, nomore than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, nomore than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, nomore than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than 52%, nomore than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%, nomore than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than 60%, nomore than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than 64%, nomore than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, nomore than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, nomore than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, nomore than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than 80%, nomore than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%, nomore than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than 88%, nomore than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than 92%, nomore than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, nomore than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or more w/w of theplant-based analog.

In an embodiment, the size of oil droplets inside the hydrocolloid-basedgel have a diameter of about 0.01 mm, about 0.02 mm, about 0.03 mm,about 0.04 mm, about 0.05 mm, about 0.06 mm, about 0.07 mm, about 0.08mm, about 0.09 mm, about 0.10 mm, about 0.20 mm, about 0.30 mm, about0.40 mm, about 0.50 mm, about 0.60 mm, about 0.70 mm, about 0.80 mm,about 0.90 mm, about 1.0 mm, about 1.1 mm, about 1.2 mm, about 1.3 mm,about 1.4 mm, about 1.5 mm or larger.

In an embodiment, the size of oil droplets inside the hydrocolloid-basedgel have a diameter of no more than 0.01 mm, no more than 0.02 mm, nomore than 0.03 mm, no more than 0.04 mm, no more than 0.05 mm, no morethan 0.06 mm, no more than 0.07 mm, no more than 0.08 mm, no more than0.09 mm, no more than 0.10 mm, no more than 0.20 mm, no more than 0.30mm, no more than 0.40 mm, no more than 0.50 mm, no more than 0.60 mm, nomore than 0.70 mm, no more than 0.80 mm, no more than 0.90 mm, no morethan 1.0 mm, no more than 1.1 mm, no more than 1.2 mm, no more than 1.3mm, no more than 1.4 mm, no more than 1.5 mm or larger.

In an embodiment, the size of oil droplets inside the hydrocolloid-basedgel have a diameter of at least 0.01 mm, at least 0.02 mm, at least 0.03mm, at least 0.04 mm, at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.06 mm, at least 0.07mm, at least 0.08 mm, at least 0.09 mm, at least 0.10 mm, at least 0.20mm, at least 0.30 mm, at least 0.40 mm, at least 0.50 mm, at least 0.60mm, at least 0.70 mm, at least 0.80 mm, at least 0.90 mm, at least 1.0mm, at least 1.1 mm, at least 1.2 mm, at least 1.3 mm, at least 1.4 mm,at least 1.5 mm or larger.

In an embodiment, the structural rigidity of a plant-based meat analogis increased by at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least100% of an animal derived, sourced and/or based bacon.

In an embodiment, the structural rigidity of a plant-based meat analogis increased by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%,about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%,about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%,about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%,about 98%, about 99% or about 100% of an animal derived, sourced and/orbased bacon.

In an embodiment, the structural rigidity of a plant-based meat analogis increased no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no morethan 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more than12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more than40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more than68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more than96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or no morethan 100% of an animal derived, sourced and/or based bacon.

In another embodiment, the improvement in crispiness, textural feel,sensorial feel and/or rigidity of a plant-based meat analog increasesthe plant-based meat analog similarity to animal meat, including bacon,by at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, atleast 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%, at least11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at least36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least 45%, at least46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least 50%, at least51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least 55%, at least56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least 60%, at least61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at least81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least 100%.

In another embodiment, the improvement in crispiness, textural feel,sensorial feel and/or rigidity of a plant-based meat analog increasesthe plant-based meat analog similarity to animal meat, including bacon,by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%,about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%,about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%,about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%,about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%,about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%,about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%,about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%,about 99% or about 100%.

In another embodiment, the improvement in crispiness, textural feel,sensorial feel and/or rigidity of a plant-based meat analog increasesthe plant-based meat analog similarity to animal meat, including bacon,by no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%,no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, nomore than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, nomore than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, nomore than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, nomore than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than 24%, nomore than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%, nomore than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than 32%, nomore than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than 36%, nomore than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, nomore than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, nomore than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, nomore than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than 52%, nomore than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%, nomore than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than 60%, nomore than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than 64%, nomore than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, nomore than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, nomore than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, nomore than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than 80%, nomore than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%, nomore than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than 88%, nomore than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than 92%, nomore than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, nomore than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or no more than 100%.

In an embodiment, a protein-based meat analog is comprised of ameat-like dough that is comprised of 1% to 90%, 0.1% to 1%, 0.2% to 1%,0.3% to 1%. 0.4% to 1%, 0.5% to 1%, 0.6% to 1%, 0.7% to 1%, 0.8% to 1%,0.9% to 1%, 0.1% to 2, 0.5% to 2.5%, 1% to 5%, 2% to 25%, 3% to 20%, 5%to 50%, 4% to 40%, 3% to 10%, 1% to 3%, 0.1% to 2% or any othercombination of concentrations between about 1% to about 90% of apolysaccharide and/or a carbohydrate, about 1% to about 90% of aprotein, and about 1% to 70% of an oil.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises acarbohydrate at a concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, atleast 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, atleast 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, atleast 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, atleast 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, atleast 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, atleast 34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, atleast 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, atleast 44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, atleast 49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, atleast 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, atleast 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, atleast 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, atleast 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, atleast 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, atleast 79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, atleast 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, atleast 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, atleast 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, atleast 99% or at least 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises acarbohydrate at a concentration of by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%,about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%,about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%,about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%,about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%,about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%,about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%,about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%,about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises acarbohydrate at a concentration of by no more than 1%, no more than 2%,no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, nomore than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, nomore than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, nomore than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, nomore than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, nomore than 23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, nomore than 27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, nomore than 31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, nomore than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, nomore than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, nomore than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, nomore than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, nomore than 51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, nomore than 55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, nomore than 59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, nomore than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, nomore than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, nomore than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, nomore than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, nomore than 79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, nomore than 83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, nomore than 87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, nomore than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, nomore than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, nomore than 99% or no more than 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises anoil at a concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, atleast 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least99% or at least 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises anoil at a concentration of by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%,about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%,about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%,about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%,about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%,about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%,about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%,about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%,about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises anoil at a concentration of by no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no morethan 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than99% or no more than 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises aprotein at a concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, atleast 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least99% or at least 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises aprotein at a concentration of by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%,about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%,about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%,about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%,about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%,about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%,about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%,about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%,about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises aprotein at a concentration of by no more than 1%, no more than 2%, nomore than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no morethan 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no morethan 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no morethan 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no morethan 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no morethan 23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no morethan 27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no morethan 31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no morethan 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no morethan 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no morethan 43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no morethan 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no morethan 51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no morethan 55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no morethan 59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no morethan 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no morethan 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no morethan 71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no morethan 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no morethan 79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no morethan 83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no morethan 87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no morethan 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no morethan 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no morethan 99% or no more than 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises apolysaccharide at a concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, atleast 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, atleast 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, atleast 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, atleast 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, atleast 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, atleast 34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, atleast 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, atleast 44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, atleast 49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, atleast 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, atleast 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, atleast 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, atleast 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, atleast 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, atleast 79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, atleast 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, atleast 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, atleast 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, atleast 99% or at least 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises apolysaccharide at a concentration of by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%,about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%,about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%,about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%,about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%,about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%,about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%,about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%,about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100%.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydrocolloid comprises apolysaccharide at a concentration of by no more than 1%, no more than2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%,no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, nomore than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, nomore than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, nomore than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, nomore than 23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, nomore than 27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, nomore than 31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, nomore than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, nomore than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, nomore than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, nomore than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, nomore than 51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, nomore than 55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, nomore than 59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, nomore than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, nomore than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, nomore than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, nomore than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, nomore than 79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, nomore than 83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, nomore than 87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, nomore than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, nomore than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, nomore than 99% or no more than 100%.

In another embodiment, the protein-based meat analog has a tensilestrength that is at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least100% of a comparable meat. In an embodiment a comparable meat is abacon, a steak, a filet, a pork chop and a chicken breast from ananimal.

In another embodiment, the protein-based meat analog has a tensilestrength that is no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, nomore than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no morethan 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no morethan 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no morethan 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no morethan 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no morethan 24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no morethan 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no morethan 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no morethan 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no morethan 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no morethan 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no morethan 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no morethan 52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no morethan 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no morethan 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no morethan 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no morethan 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no morethan 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no morethan 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no morethan 80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no morethan 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no morethan 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no morethan 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no morethan 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or nomore than 100% of a comparable meat.

In another embodiment, the protein-based meat analog has a tensilestrength that is about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%,about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%,about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%,about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%,about 98%, about 99% or about 100% of a comparable meat.

In a further embodiment, a method of making a plant-based meat analog,can comprise (a) heating, including cooking a plant-based meat analog toa temperature ranging from 150.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. or to atemperature of about 150.degree. F, about 160.degree. F, about170.degree. F, about 180.degree. F, about 190.degree. F, about200.degree. F, about 210.degree. F, about 220.degree. F, about230.degree. F, about 240.degree. F, about 250.degree. F, about260.degree. F, about 270.degree. F, about 280.degree. F, about290.degree. F, about 300.degree. F, about 310.degree. F, about320.degree. F, about 330.degree. F, about 340.degree. F, about350.degree. F, about 360.degree. F, about 370.degree. F, about380.degree. F, about 390.degree. F, about 400.degree. F, about410.degree. F, about 420.degree. F, about 430.degree. F, about440.degree. F, about 450.degree. F, about 460.degree. F, about470.degree. F, about 480.degree. F, about 490.degree. F or about500.degree. F.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a moisture content that is at least 1%, at least2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, atleast 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, atleast 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, atleast 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, atleast 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, atleast 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, atleast 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, atleast 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, atleast 43%, at least 44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, atleast 48%, at least 49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, atleast 53%, at least 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, atleast 58%, at least 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, atleast 63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, atleast 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, atleast 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, atleast 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, atleast 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, atleast 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, atleast 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, atleast 98%, at least 99% or at least 100% by weight.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a moisture content that is about 1%, about 2%,about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%,about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%,about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%,about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%,about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%,about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%,about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%,about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100%by weight.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a moisture content that is no more than 1%, nomore than 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no morethan 6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than22%, no more than 23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more than26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than30%, no more than 31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than34%, no more than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than50%, no more than 51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more than54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than58%, no more than 59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than62%, no more than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than78%, no more than 79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more than82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than86%, no more than 87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than90%, no more than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than98%, no more than 99% or no more than 100% by weight.

The water activity of raw animal meat is typically between 0.97 and0.99.

In another embodiment, the water activity level of a plant-based meatanalog, including a plant-based bacon is at least 0, at least 0.1, atleast 0.2, at least 0.3, at least 0.4, at least 0.5, at least 0.6, atleast 0.7, at least 0.8, at least 0.9 or at least 1.0. In a furtherembodiment, the water activity level of a plant-based meat analog,including a plant-based bacon is about 0, about 0.1, about 0.2, about0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5, about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9 orabout 1.0. In another embodiment, the water activity level of aplant-based meat analog, including a plant-based bacon is no more than0, no more than 0.1, no more than 0.2, no more than 0.3, no more than0.4, no more than 0.5, no more than 0.6, no more than 0.7, no more than0.8, no more than 0.9 or no more than 1.0.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a salt concentration of about 1%, about 2%, about3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%,about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about23%, about 24% or about 25% by weight.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a salt concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%,at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, atleast 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, atleast 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, atleast 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, atleast 23%, at least 24% or at least 25% by weight.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a salt concentration of no more than 1%, no morethan 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than6%, no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%,no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%,no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%,no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%,no more than 23%, no more than 24% or no more than 25% by weight.

In an embodiment, a plant-based meat analog is made to taste, feel, havethe texture feel, sensory feel and/or look of meat from an animal byadjusting the pH using a pH adjusting agent. In an embodiment, the pH isof a plant-based meat analog is adjusted. In another embodiment, the pHof a meat analog is adjusted. It is known that beef has a pH of about5.5. Therefore, in an embodiment, to make a plant-based meat analog totaste, feel, have the texture and/or color of beef, the pH of theplant-based meat analog can be made to be about 5.5. A pH adjustingagent may be organic or inorganic. In one embodiment, a pH adjustingagent comprises a salt, an ionic salt, an alkali metal, an alkalineearth metal, a monovalent or divalent cationic metals, hydroxides,carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, gluconates, acetates, sulfides,monovalent or divalent cationic metals (e.g. calcium, sodium, potassium,and magnesium). In a further embodiment, an acidic pH adjusting agentscomprise acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, citric acid, succinic acid, andcombinations thereof. In another embodiment, a basic pH adjusting agentscomprise potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide,potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, ethanolamine, calciumbicarbonate, calcium hydroxide, ferrous hydroxide, lime, calciumcarbonate, trisodium phosphate, and combinations thereof. In oneembodiment, a pH adjusting agent is a food grade edible acid or foodgrade edible base. In an embodiment, lactic acid is used as the pHadjusting agent. Lactic acid is known to provide a fresh taste thatincludes a sourness that is associated with in beef.

Other pH adjusting agents can be used depending on the desired flavor,texture, color and feel of the plant-based meat analog. A pH adjustingagent can be used to bring the pH of the plant-based meat analog toabout 1, about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8,about 9, about 10, about 11, about 12 and or about 13. In anotherembodiment, a pH adjusting agent can bring the pH of the plant-basedmeat analog to have a pH of between 7.2 and about 12, between 7.2 andabout 10, between 7.4 and about 10.0, between 7.6 and about 9.0, between7.8 and about 9.0, between about 8.0 and about 9.0, or between about 8and about 10. In a further embodiment the pH of the pH adjusting agentsis lower than 7, between 6.95 and about 2, between 6.95 and about 4,between about 4 and about 2, higher than 7.05, between 7.05 and about12, between 7.05 and about 10, between 7.05 and about 8, between about 9and about 12, or between about 10 and about 12.

In an embodiment, the plant-based meat analog can be shaped into stripslike those commonly associated with bacon. Bacon can have any shape,including a square, a rectangular, a circle, and/or any non-geometricshape. In one embodiment, the bacon strips have a length (the longerdistance between bacon ends) from top to bottom of about 1 mm, about 2mm, about 3 mm, about 4 mm, about 5 mm, about 6 mm, about 7 mm, about 8mm, about 9 mm, about 10 mm, about 20 mm, about 30 mm, about 40 mm,about 50 mm, about 60 mm, about 70 mm, about 80 mm, about 90 mm, about100 mm, about 110 mm, about 120 mm, about 130 mm, about 140 mm, about150 mm, about 160 mm, about 170 mm, about 180 mm, about 190 mm, about200 mm, or larger.

In another embodiment, the bacon strips have a length (the longerdistance between bacon ends) from top to bottom of at least 1 mm, atleast 2 mm, at least 3 mm, at least 4 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 6 mm,at least 7 mm, at least 8 mm, at least 9 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 20mm, at least 30 mm, at least 40 mm, at least 50 mm, at least 60 mm, atleast 70 mm, at least 80 mm, at least 90 mm, at least 100 mm, at least110 mm, at least 120 mm, at least 130 mm, at least 140 mm, at least 150mm, at least 160 mm, at least 170 mm, at least 180 mm, at least 190 mm,at least 200 mm, or larger.

In another embodiment, the bacon strips have a length (the longerdistance between bacon ends) from top to bottom of no more than 1 mm, nomore than 2 mm, no more than 3 mm, no more than 4 mm, no more than 5 mm,no more than 6 mm, no more than 7 mm, no more than 8 mm, no more than 9mm, no more than 10 mm, no more than 20 mm, no more than 30 mm, no morethan 40 mm, no more than 50 mm, no more than 60 mm, no more than 70 mm,no more than 80 mm, no more than 90 mm, no more than 100 mm, no morethan 110 mm, no more than 120 mm, no more than 130 mm, no more than 140mm, no more than 150 mm, no more than 160 mm, no more than 170 mm, nomore than 180 mm, no more than 190 mm, at least 200 mm, or larger.

Rugosity is a measure of small-scale variations of amplitude in theheight of a surface f_(r)=A_(r)/A_(g), where A_(r) is the real surfacearea, and Ag is the geometric surface area. Rugosity calculations arecommonly used in materials science to characterize surfaces.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a rugosity after heating, including cooking thatincreases about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%,about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%,about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%,about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%,about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%,about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%,about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%,about 98%, about 99% or about 100% compared to the rugosity of theunheated, including uncooked, plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a rugosity after heating, including cooking thatincreases by at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, atleast 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at least65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least100% compared to the rugosity of the unheated, including uncooked,plant-based meat analog, including a plant-based bacon.

In another embodiment, the plant-based meat analog, including aplant-based bacon has a rugosity after heating, including cooking thatincreases by no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no morethan 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more than12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more than40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more than68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more than96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99% or no morethan 100% compared to the rugosity of the unheated, including uncooked,plant-based meat analog, including a plant-based bacon.

A further novel aspect of the present invention is a process that can beused with the aforesaid novel plant-based compositions to more closelymimic the appearance of an iconic animal meat product, namely slicedanimal bacon. Animal (e.g. pork) bacon typically is marketed inelongated strips (e.g. 10-12 in length) with the meat portion and thefat portion occupying discrete fields which may be irregular butgenerally continuous, along the slice length but being generallyintermittent in the slice-width direction. It is believed that theoverall heterogeneity created by the distinct meat and fat portionscreates a heterogeneity of texture, mouthfeel (e.g. crispiness), taste,and appearance that is important in making a plant-based bacon productmore similar to the animal product, and thus more marketable.

In an embodiment of the process of the present invention, separatemixtures of a plant-based “meat” analog and a plant-based “fat” analogare deposited side-by-side on a base, (e.g. a conveyor belt), which maybe moving in the length direction. The deposition (e.g. by pultrusion)can create adjacent fields of meat analog and fat analog in the productwidth direction, the width dimensions of which fields can be varied byvarying the respective flow rates and/or width positions of thedispensing nozzles. The flow rates and/or relative movement of the baseto the nozzles can be adjusted to achieve different dough thicknesses(i.e. to make “thick” bacon analog slices or “thin” slices).

In another embodiment of the process of the present invention, theseparate mixtures of plant-based meat and fat analogs are deposited on abase that is an edible layer of plant-based hydrocolloid film. Anotherhydrocolloid film may further be deposited on top of the meat and fatportions to encase the food product between two hydrocolloid filmlayers.

FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C are schematic representations of plant-basedbacon products. In FIG. 11A, the plant-based bacon strip made inaccordance with the inventive process has length L11 and width W11,where the ratio of L11/W11 is >>1. The strip shown in 11A has twoplant-based meat analog fields M, and two plant-based fat analog fieldsF. In FIG. 11B, a cross-sectional view of the planar representation ofstrip 11A at BB, the sections comprising the plant-based bacon meat andfat analogs M and F, respectively, are shown. FIG. 11C shows analternate construction of 11A in which two thin and transparenthydrocolloid films “sandwich” the bacon meat and fat portions.

FIG. 11C depicts schematically a plant-based bacon analog product thatshares most of the process features of the strip in 11A discussed aboveexcept the planar dimensions and number of meat analog and fat analogfields. Specifically, length L12 is similar to width W12, yielding a L/Wratio= or ˜1, and having three meat analog fields M, and three fatanalog fields F. Also, product Y is sized to approximate the size andshape of standard loaf bread slices (about 5-6 inches per side),offering the convenience of using a single-piece bacon analog product ina sandwich.

A disadvantage of many natural and artificial colorants in the foodproduct industry is that they are not stable in their locations withinthe food product. Upon heating, melting, or thawing of the food product,the colorant, which may be either fat-soluble or water-soluble will‘leak’ from the system. This is a particular disadvantage in meat analogsystems, in which the colorant is often a natural colorant such as beetjuice or anthocyanins, or an artificial colorant such as Sensient Red,or a mix of both. When the food product analog is thawed or cooked, thecolorant (generally red to simulate meat) may be released from theproduct in liquid or oil form (referred herein as “bleeding”), and thisbleeding results in a product that loses its ability to look like themeat analog it is intended to replace. This can result in a negativereaction from a consumer as the bleeding highlights a difference betweenthe meat analog and the look and taste of eating real animal meat, wheregenerally the red part is the meat and the clear part the fat.

In contrast to the colorants previously described seaweed protein as acolorant is quite stable with respect to its location in a food product.Using phycoerythrin or other phycobilisomes as the colorant, thechromophore(s) are covalently bonded to the protein. Seaweed proteinsare relatively large molecules compared to other colorants typicallyused. Therefore the use of seaweed proteins as colorants can be used toimprove the location stability of the colorant system. In the example ofcreating a bacon product, when cooked, or placed on a platepost-cooking, the red color does not separate from the bacon meat analogfraction and bleed into the fat analog fraction or generally out of thebacon analog. Similarly, when a burger analog comprises seaweed proteinas a colorant, when it is transformed from a frozen patty to a thawedpatty, and when the thawed patty is heated on a skillet, the red colordoes not leak from the patty or migrate into the fat or liquid portionsof the burger analog.

In an embodiment, a stable seaweed protein colorant used in a meatanalog is R-phycoerythrin, B-phycoerythrin, C-phycoerythrin,phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, or phycoerythrocyanin. In anotherembodiment, two of more seaweed proteins are used as a colorant.

In an embodiment, a chromophore attached to a seaweed protein used as acolorant is one or more of phycoerythrobilin, phycocyanobilin,phycourobilin, 15,16-dihydrobiliverdin, or biliverdine IX alpha. Inanother embodiment, two of more seaweed proteins are used as a colorant.

In an embodiment, a stable seaweed protein colorant in a meat analogportion of a composite formed of a meat analog portion and a fat analogportion is does not migrate from the meat portion into the fat portion,or into any liquid escaping the product when stored, frozen, or cooked.

In an embodiment, a stable seaweed protein colorant is bound within ahydrocolloid gel.

In an embodiment, a stable seaweed protein colorant is bound within anoleogel.

In an embodiment, a stable seaweed protein colorant is bound within ahydrocolloid film.

In another embodiment, a plant-based meat analog may be packaged to keepthem clean, fresh, contained and/or safe. In another embodiment, thepackaging is meant to allow for inventory control, handling,distribution, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use, or reuseand/or to enable control of portion size. Suitable packing comprisestrays, trays with overwrap, bags, cups, films, jars, tubs, bottles,pads, bowls, platters, boxes, cans, cartons, pallets, wrappers,containers, bags-in-boxes, tubes, capsules, vacuum packaging, pouches,and the like, and combinations thereof. The packaging can be made ofplastic, paper, metal, glass, paperboard, polypropylene, PET, Styrofoam,aluminum, or combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the packaging may carry one or more labels thatcommunicate information to the consumer or that support the marketing ofthe plant-based meat analog. In a further embodiment, the packagingcarries a label required by federal, state or a local governmentalregulation. In one embodiment, the label is required by regulation ofthe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA). In another embodiment, the label is required byregulation of the European Food Safety Authority. In a furtherembodiment, the governmental regulation is Title 21 of the FDA sectionof the code of federal regulations. In another embodiment, the labelindicates that the enclosed meat analog is free of genetically modifiedorganisms. In another embodiment, the label indicates that the enclosedmeat analog is free of gluten. In one more embodiment, the labelindicates that the enclosed meat analog is Kosher. In anotherembodiment, the label indicates that the enclosed meat analog is free ofcholesterol. In another embodiment, the label indicates that theplant-based meat analog is vegan. In a further embodiment, the labelindicates that the meat analog is free of an allergen. In anotherembodiment, the label indicates that the meat analog is free of soy. Inone more embodiment, the label indicates that the meat analog is free ofnuts.

In an embodiment, the protein used in a meat analog may be comprised ofpolypeptide molecules having an identical amino acid sequence, or of amixture of polypeptide molecules having at least 2 different amino acidsequences. In a further embodiment, the protein used a meat analog maybe comprised of naturally occurring amino acids or non-naturallyoccurring amino acids. In a further embodiment, the protein used tocreate the protein-based meat analog can be derived and/or obtained fromone or more sources, including algae, seaweed or one or more other plantsources, including wheat, soy and pea. In another embodiment, theprotein used to create the meat analog can be derived and/or obtainedfrom a seaweed and a protein concentrate source wherein the protein ismanufactured synthetically using natural or non-natural amino acids. Insome embodiments, the protein used to create the meat analog can bederived and/or obtained from a plant or an animal source, including acow, a sheep, a goat, a pig, a duck, a horse, an ostrich or an emu. Inanother embodiment, the protein used to create the dough can be derivedand/or obtained from a plant source and an animal source, including afish, a shellfish, or a crustacean. In some embodiments, the protein isnot derived from a plant source but is identical or similar to proteinfound in a plant source, for example, the protein is synthetically orbiosynthetically generated but comprises polypeptide molecules that havean identical or similar amino acid sequence as polypeptide moleculesfound in an animal source.

In an embodiment, the ratio of protein derived, sourced and/or obtainedfrom one type of plant used in a meat analog versus derived, sourcedand/or obtained from a second type of plant or an animal (e.g. otherplant, synthetically produced or animal) is 1:99, 2:98, 3:97, 4:96,5:95, 6:94, 7:93, 8:92, 9:91, 10:90, 11:89, 12:88, 13:87, 14:86, 15:85,16:84, 17:83, 18:82, 19:81, 20:80, 21:79, 22:78, 23:77, 24:76, 25:75,26:74, 27:73, 28:72, 29:71, 30:70, 31:69, 32:68, 33:67, 34:66, 35:65,36:64, 37:63, 38:62, 39:61, 40:60, 41:59, 42:58, 43:87, 44:56, 45:55,46:54, 47:53, 48:52, 49:51, 50:50, 51:49, 52:48, 53:47, 54:46, 55:45,56:44, 57:43, 58:42, 59:41, 60:40, 61:39, 62:38, 63:37, 64:36, 65:35,66:34, 67:33, 68:32, 69:31, 70:30, 71, 29, 72:28, 73:27, 74:26, 75:25,76:24, 77:23, 78:22, 79:21, 80:20, 81:19, 82:18, 83:17, 84:16, 85:15,84:16, 85:15, 86:14, 87:13, 88:12, 89:11, 90:10, 91:9, 92:8, 93:7, 94:6,95:5, 96:4, 97:3, 98:2 or 99:1. In a further embodiment, the meat analogis comprised of a protein derived, sourced and/or obtained from 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more different plant or animal sources.

Example 1

A layered meat analog food component in accordance with the presentinvention was prepared using a seaweed-based hydrocolloid film and asoy-based dough. The film was derived from an agar-containing seaweedand contained about 95% water by mass. The dough was comprised of 80%soy protein isolate and 20% coconut oil by mass. The hydrated film inthis example was elastic, with elongation at break of about 80%. Thedimensions of the film when laid flat was 3 cm×2 cm in length and width,respectively, with a thickness (height) of about 0.2 mm. The film wastranslucent, with a transmissivity of about 90%, and with a color thatwas reddish pink. The soy-based dough was opaque, with a color that wasbrownish yellow.

The layered food component was formed by placing the hydrated film onwax paper on a flat surface, then coating the film with a layer of doughwith a uniform thickness of about 3 mm, and subsequently rolling thecoated film into a spiral form with the film on the outside of the roll.The rolled composite created in this manner had several layers of dougheach separated by the hydrocolloid film.

The color and translucency of the hydrocolloid film in this examplecreated the appearance that the dough inside the composite was reddishpink in color, such as the color of raw chicken. The film in thisexample also acted as a barrier layer to oil migration, andsubstantially reduced the amount of coconut oil that leaked outside thecomposite when it was placed on white paper, as compared to oil leakagefrom dough containing no film.

Example 2

A meat analog bacon was created in accordance with the following methodand formulation. First, 100 mL water, 6 g agar, 3 g salt, 35 g vegetableoil and bacon flavor were mixed together and then heated to a finaltemperature of 95° C. (200° F.), though higher temperatures could beused in order to dissolve the agar and create an oil-in-water emulsion.The oil/water/agar emulsion was split into two approximately equalportions in two separate containers (one half for what will be used tocreate the meat analog bacon fat and one half for the meat portion ofthe meat analog bacon product) and kept at a temperature of 38° C. (100°F.), though higher temperatures could be used to avoid the oil/agar andwater starting to gel.

To prepare the meat portion of the final meat analog bacon product, thetemperature of the oil/water/agar emulsion was dropped to about 52° C.(125° F.). Next about 0.4 g of a seaweed protein concentrate was addedto the oil/water/agar and the oil/water/agar/seaweed protein concentratewas well mixed.

Both the fat and meat portions were kept warm and well-mixed and thenheated to about 100° F. Once the fat and meat portions reached atemperature around 100 F, both portions were gently poured into a baconpattern to separate fat and meat analog portions to mimic the look of abacon derived, sourced and/or based from an animal. Once the portionswere poured into the bacon pattern, the bacon meat analog was allowed togel and set.

Once the bacon meat analog was gelled and set, the bacon meat analog wasdehydrated at a temperature of 74° C. (165° F.), until the bacon meatanalog was of the desired crispiness and textural and sensorial feel,and to a water activity level of about 0.6 to 0.9. An example of a baconmeat analog created by the aforementioned method of Example 2 is shownin FIG. 9 .

Example 3: Stability of a Meat-Like Bacon Following Dehydration

In this example a fat portion is prepared and processed and cut intostrips of a meat-like bacon (hereinafter “bacon strips”) with a wetdimension (width v. length) of 1 inch by 3.25 inches and with a heightof 4 mm. The bacon strips are comprised of the following ingredients atthe identified concentrations in grams.

To prepare the fat sample, water was heated to 190° F. Agar, salt, andsugar were mixed in at high shear with a blender. The oil was then mixedin with a fork at low shear. The mixture was chilled in a mold until itwas set into a gel.

TABLE 2 Control Water Activity Bacon Strip Composition (Ingredients andAmounts) CONTROL INGREDIENT GRAMS % WATER 215.00 79.78 AGAR 100 12.004.45 OIL, COCONUT 35.00 12.99 SALT 5.00 1.86 SUGAR, CANE 2.50 0.93 TOTAL269.50 100.00

These bacon strips were weighed for their fully hydrated weight. Thebacon strings were then placed in a dehydrator at 165° F. An individualbacon strips was removed from the dehydrator at different times afterbeing placed in the dehydrator. More particularly, a bacon strip wasremoved at 30 minutes following being placed in the dehydrator and thenevery thirty (30) minutes thereafter at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180minutes. A bacon strip was also not dehydrated as a control. Each baconstrip was weighted following dehydration. The bacon strips were sealedin a plastic bag and held at 38° F. for about 12-15 hours after removalfrom the dehydrator (or immediately for the control).

A single bacon strip was used for each length of time in the dehydratorand following dehydration was cut into three pieces. Prior to cutting,the water activity of three cross-sectional slices of each bacon stripwas measured.

The strips were then placed on an un-greased sheet pan and baked at 350°F. for five (5) minutes at 0% humidity.

The results found in FIG. 10 show that the bacon strips that weredehydrated for the longest period of time maintained their form,composition and the components that comprise the bacon strips in thebacon strip itself. In contrast, those bacon strips that were dehydratedfor the shortest period, e.g. 30 minutes, tended to melt and leak outthe components that comprise the bacon strips into the pan.

Additional results are shown for each bacon strip dehydrated for thetime set forth below:

TABLE 3 Control Water Activity Bacon Strip Composition (Ingredients andAmounts) Dehydration time in minutes Wet weight Dried Water loss Observemelt (hours) (g) Control Water Activity weight (g) (g) (y/n) Tastingnotes 0 8.740 1.000 1.000 0.996 8.740 0.000 YES chewy, gummy, salty,wet, clearish color 30 (0.5) 8.470 1.000 0.995 0.992 5.250 3.220 YESchewy, gummy, salty, wet, clearish color 60 (1) 9.000 0.981 0.977 0.9764.340 4.660 YES not stuck to pan, but also chewy, gummy, salty, wet,clear 90 (1.5) 7.860 0.904 0.888 0.877 2.420 5.440 NO slight chew, lessgummy - white cloudy 120 (2) 8.090 0.793 0.796 0.799 2.320 5.770 NOslight chew, almost like wet starchy veg? keeps shape, slight puff 1508.010 0.717 0.726 0.726 2.100 5.910 NO crunch, moist, fatty, keepsshape, has integrity 180 8.770 0.705 0.711 0.715 2.210 6.560 NO stiff,dense, slight crunch 210 8.720 0.692 0.697 0.695 2.210 6.510 NO crunchy,less fatty, pleasant texture

TABLE 4 Water Activity Bacon Strip Composition (Ingredients and Amounts)2X Fat INGREDIENT GRAMS % WATER 215.00 70.61 AGAR 100 12.00 3.94 OIL,COCONUT 70.00 22.99 SALT 5.00 1.64 SUGAR, CANE 2.50 0.82 TOTAL 304.50100.00

TABLE 5 Water Activity for 2X Fat Wet Dried weight weight Water ObserveTIME (g) 2X FAT WATER ACTIVITY (g) loss (g) melt (y/n) Tasting notes 0  9.4 0.972 0.964 0.966 9.4 0 YES less wet, slight chew, slight gummy,better than control, translucent 30   9.29 0.955 0.951 0.963 6.49 2.8YES slight bite, lardlike, translucent 1   9.25 0.933 0.931 0.942 5.663.59 YES chewy, salty, kept flavor better than first two, sort of meltin mouth, not bad 1.5* 9.38 0.927 0.935 0.942 5.27 4.1 NO bendy, butkeeps shape - salty, chewy, tasty, melty fat mouthfeel 2   9.16 0.9030.905 0.911 4.49 4.67 NO translucent, clearish - salty, slightly chewy2.5* 9.18 0.882 0.901 0.901 4.49 4.69 NO salty good taste, melt inmouth, luscious, yum clear/translucent 3*   9.11 0.839 0.836 0.836 4.045.07 NO saltier? Less melt/mouth coating, satisfying. Keeps shape, morechew 3.5* 9.05 0.778 0.788 0.788 3.61 5.44 NO sort of cracker likecrunch with fat explosion + salt maybe too crispy, but super tasty

It was found that the 2X fat bacon strips that were dehydrated forbetween 150-210 minutes provided for an improved taste, mouthfeel andtexture as compared to similar bacon strips that had not been dehydratedfor as long a period of time.

Example 4: Example of Bacon Analog

A bacon analog is created by mixing together Agar 100 with an oil (e.g.coconut oil), salt, and water. To this mixture is added a flavoring(e.g. bacon flavoring, sugar). The mixture is split into two portions.One part, which is clear constitutes the fat portion of a bacon analogand to the other art is added a protein and a red dye (e.g. SensientRed, OB) to give the appearance of the meat portion of a bacon analog.

The two portions are poured into a mold with clear (fatty analog) andreddish (meat analog) portions. The final bacon analog has a look as setforth in FIG. 11B, where the clear (fatty analog or “F”) portionssurround the reddish (meat analog or “M”) portions, to create a baconanalog in a strip-like structure. This bacon analog can be heated andthen eaten. The final heated bacon analog has a texture, look and tastesimilar to that of bacon obtained from an animal, including a pig.

Example 5. Location Stability of Seaweed Protein

FIGS. 12A and B shows two strips of plant-based bacon, both in anuncooked state and after storage at 40° F. for 7 days. FIG. 12A on theleft shows a commercially sold plant-based bacon composed of starch andoil, with beet juice as the colorant. The strip on the right (12B) showsan example of the plant-based bacon of the present invention, made withhydrocolloid-based oleogels in both the fat and meat parts. The example12B on the right was made with a seaweed protein containingphycoerythrin as a colorant in the darker colored meat part.

In FIG. 12A, one can observe that the beet juice color in thecommercially sold plant-based bacon product has diffused into the fatportion of the product. The visible diffusion is distinctively unlikereal animal bacon, in which the red color of the meat sections does notseparate and migrate into the fat portion.

In contrast, one can observe from the plant-based meat analog on theright (12B) that there is a highly defined line between the fat portionand the meat portion colored with seaweed protein, and there is nomigration of the protein colorant from the meat portion into the fatportion after storage for one week.

Example 6. Flavorings Effect on Taste and Palatability

Two bacon analogs were prepared according to the present invention, bothwith a fat portion and a meat portion. Both samples were prepared usingthe same formula for the fat portion (lighter portion of strip). Onesample (sample 1.1) was prepared with “meat 1” composition (darkerportion of strip), and another (sample 2.2) was prepared with “meat 4”composition provided in Table 5 below.

The difference between Samples 1.1 and 2.2 was the flavorings used inthe meat portion. Both meat 1 (sample 1.1) and meat 4 (sample 2.2)contained 3.5 to 3.6 grams of one type of commercially sold flavoring,while meat 4 (sample 2.2) contained an additional flavoring to import abacon flavor to the meat portion.

TABLE 5 Composition of Two Meat Samples FAT MEAT 1 MEAT 4 PORTION(sample 1.1) (sample 2.2) INGREDIENT GRAMS GRAMS GRAMS WATER 30.00 30.0030.00 AGAR 100 12.00 12.00 12.00 OIL, COCONUT 35.00 35.00 35.00 SALT5.00 3.00 4.00 PROTEIN, NORI 1.20 1.20 COLORANT 1 1.20 1.20 FLAVORING 13.50 3.60 SUGAR, CANE 2.50 2.00 2.00 FLAVORING 2 0.40 TOTAL 84.50 87.9089.40

A taste test was conducted with a sample size of 10 taste testers.Example of responses from several taste testers are set forth below:

-   -   a. Test Taker #1: Sample 1.1 has a fishy flavor, which they did        not like.    -   b. Test Taker #2. Sample 1.1 is an acquired taste; where after        the first bite they were unsure if they liked it, but it grew on        them after a few bites. Test Taker #2 also found the salt level        to be great, not too high, not too low. Test Taker #2 found        Sample 2.2 to have a great flavor and salt level and found it to        be closer to real pork-based bacon than Sample 1.1.        -   Test Taker #3. Found that Sample 1.1 tasted a bit fishy,            while Sample 2.2 had a meatier texture and composition with            less aftertaste.    -   C. Test Taker #4. Found that Sample 1.1 was not very palatable,        with a “sea-water” flavor, while Sample 2.2 was found to be        tastier at both hot and room temperatures. Further,

The results of the taste test determined that taste testers found thatMeat 4 (sample 2.2) was meatier, and less fishy, than Meat 1 (sample1.1). Only a few taste testers found the flavor “fishy” when theydescribe Meat 1. None of the taste testers found Meat 4 to be “fishy,”although some described a trace taste of seaweed.

Based on the results of the Taste Testers it was determined that thetype of flavoring has an impact on the ability to mask an unpleasantflavor associated with a seaweed protein, while at the same timeenhancing the bacon flavor.

Example 7: Comparison of Audio Data for Bacon and Meat Analog-Bacon

The sound of chewing a bacon analog made using a dehydratedoil-in-hydrocolloid gel according to the present invention was recordedbefore and after dehydration and compared to the sound of biting into areal piece of cooked pork bacon while still warm.

Both loudness and frequency were measured with a computer using theaudio software Audacity and a Yeti microphone input. Audio spectrogramsand waveforms as depicted in FIGS. 13A-C were generated using Audacity.To test the sound of chewing, we had an individual take two consecutivechews of each sample at a distance of one inch from the microphone,using their forward molar teeth. The samples comprised a baconmeat-analog that was not dehydrated (FIG. 13A), a bacon meat-analogfollowing dehydration (FIG. 13B) and a cooked pork bacon (FIG. 13C).

The frequency and loudness made by the samples when chewed areillustrated by the spectrograms and waveforms as depicted in FIGS. 13A,13B and 13C, respectively. The bacon analog before dehydration asdepicted in FIG. 13A produced a sound with a narrow band on thespectrogram on the bite down, and a very faint sound on the biterelease. The sound made by the sample was similar to a snapping sound,but not a crispy sound associated with cooked pork bacon.

The sound of the dehydrated bacon meat analog as depicted in FIG. 13Bwas audibly different than the same bacon meat analog beforedehydration. This is depicted in both the waveform and spectrogram ofFIG. 13B. The dehydrated sample had a louder sound and longer durationon the bite down, as well as a more prominent signature for the biterelease. The dehydrated bacon meat analog sample made a loud crispysound on both the bite down and bite release.

The dehydration of the meat analog resulted in a more realistic baconsound. Compared to the sound produced by the bacon analog beforedehydration, the sound produced by the dehydrated bacon meat-analogsample more closely resembled the sound made by real animal bacon. Thisis demonstrated by the sound profile depicted for the cooked pork baconin FIG. 13C when compared to the bacon meat-analog after dehydrationdepicted in FIG. 13B. Similar to the dehydrated sample, the cooked porkbacon is characterized by a loud and crispy sound on both the bite downand bite release. The result is a bacon meat-analog after dehydrationthat is capable of mimicking the frequency and loudness of a cooked portbacon when chewed and eaten.

Example 8: Texture and Look of Dehydrated Meat Analog Bacon

A bacon meat analog was prepared as set forth in Examples 1-6 above. Thebacon meat-analog was dehydrated. Pictures of the different baconmeat-analog strips were taken as set forth in FIGS. 14A and 14B. As canbe seen in each of the pictures for each of the bacon meat-analogstrips, the bacon meat analog strips have a look and texture similar tocooked bacon, including cooked pork bacon. Thus, along with the audioresults set forth in Example 7, a bacon meat-analog strip can mimic thelook, texture, feel and crispiness of a meat-based bacon, including acooked pork bacon.

A meat analog food product comprising two or more adjacent layers of adough, wherein each layer is separated from an adjacent layer by aninner, hydrocolloid film, further wherein the adjacent dough layers andinner hydrocolloid film are assembled in a shape that mimics the lookand texture of a whole-muscle animal meat product.

Clauses

-   -   1. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the adjacent        layers of dough and inner hydrocolloid film are held in said        shape by an additional outer hydrocolloid film that surrounds        the dough and inner hydrocolloid film.    -   2. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein said shape        is that of a planar steak of beef, a chop of pork, a breast of        chicken or a large fish.    -   3. The meat analog food product of claim 1, where the inner        hydrocolloid film is elongated with its axes aligned so that the        axes are perpendicular to the horizontal plane of a cut of a        meat.    -   4. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the        hydrocolloid film contains a coloring agent.    -   5. The meat analog food product of claim 5, wherein the colorant        does not migrate into adjacent layers when stored or when        cooked.    -   6. The meat analog food product of claim 6, wherein the colorant        is a seaweed protein.    -   7. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the inner        hydrocolloid film is derived in whole or in part from seaweed.    -   8. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the shape of        the dough layers is generally tubular.    -   9. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the shape of        the dough layers is planar.    -   10. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the dough        is plant-based.    -   11. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the dough        is made from cultured animal muscle cells,    -   12. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the dough        contains a coloring agent.    -   13. The meat analog food product of claim 2, wherein a single        hydrocolloid film comprises the inner hydrocolloid film and the        outer hydrocolloid film.    -   14. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the        hydrocolloid film is comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel        having a hydrocolloid s an oleogelator.    -   15. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the        hydrocolloid film is composed of a blend of one or more        components selected from but not limited to polysaccharides,        oils, proteins, or carbohydrates.    -   16. The meat analog food product of claim 16, wherein the        carbohydrate comprises a cellulose, mannans, galactomannans,        xyloglucans, glucomannans, arabinoxylans, pectins, a mucilage        gum, exudate gum, Beta-D-glucans, alginate, agar, carrageenan,        pectin, fructans, cellulose derivatives, chitosan, gum,        starches, gelatin, laminarin, chitin, chitosan, xylan,        arabinoxylan, mannan, laminarin, porphyrin, fucoidan and a        galactomannan. In an embodiment, a galactomannan comprises a        locust bean gum, a senna gum, a guar gum, a tara gum and/or a        fenugreek gum.    -   17. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the        hydrocolloid film comprises a hydrocolloid gelling agent at a        concentration of 0.1-30% w/w of the hydrocolloid gel.    -   18. The meat analog food product of claim 18, wherein the        hydrocolloid gelling agent comprises one or more of an agar at        1%-30% w/w, an Alginate 1-30% w/w, a Carrageenan at 0.5%-30%        w/w, a high methoxy pectin at 2%-30% w/w, a low methoxy pectin        at 0.1%-30% w/w, a gelatin at 1%-30% w/w or a gellan at 0.5%-30%        w/w of the hydrocolloid gel.    -   19. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the meat        analog comprises a flavoring agent.    -   20. The meat analog food product of claim 20, wherein the meat        analog comprises at least 0.00001%, at least 0.0001%, at least        0.001%, at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 1%, at least 2%,        at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%,        at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10 or more by weight of a        flavoring agent.    -   21. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the meat        analog comprises a binding agent,    -   22. The meat analog food product of claim 22, wherein the meat        analog comprises at least 0.1%, at least 0.5%, at least 1%, at        least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at        least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%,        at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least        16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at least or 20%        by weight of a binding agent.    -   23. The meat analog food product of claim 22, wherein the        binding agent is added to the meat analog to achieve a cohesive        texture, tensile strength and feel,    -   24. The hydrocolloid film of claim 1, wherein hydrocolloid film        is provided where the entire film is plant-based.    -   25. The meat analog food product of claim 1, wherein the inner        hydrocolloid film is stretchable.    -   26. The meat analog food product of claim 2, wherein the outer        hydrocolloid film is stretchable,    -   27. A layered meat analog food component comprised of two or        more adjacent layers of a dough, wherein the two or more        adjacent layers of a dough are each separated by a hydrocolloid        film.    -   28. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the hydrocolloid film contains a coloring agent.    -   29. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the hydrocolloid film is derived in whole or in part from        seaweed.    -   30. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the meat analog food component is in a tubular shape.    -   31. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the meat analog food component has a planar geometry,    -   32. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the dough is plant-based.    -   33. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the dough is comprised of cultured animal muscle cells.    -   34. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the dough contains a coloring agent.    -   35. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, further        that is comprised of an outer hydrocolloid film that encloses        one or more layers of dough and an inner hydrocolloid film.    -   36. The layered meat analog food component of claim 27, wherein        the inner hydrocolloid film and the outer hydrocolloid film        comprise a single, congruous hydrocolloid film.    -   37. The layered meat analog food component of claim 31, wherein        the inner hydrocolloid film and layers of dough form a spiral.    -   38. The layered meat analog food component of claim 28, wherein        said inner hydrocolloid film is stretchable,    -   39. The layered meat analog food component of claim 36 wherein        said outer hydrocolloid film is stretchable.    -   40. The meat analog of claim 1, wherein the meat analog is        dehydrated.    -   41. The meat analog of claim 41, wherein the dehydration can be        for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,        18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40, 45,        50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120,        125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160, 165, 170, 175, 180, 185,        190, 195, 200, 205, 210, 215, 220, 225 230, 240, 245, 250, 255,        260, 265, 270, 295, 280, 285, 290, 295 minutes or more.    -   42. A cheese analog, wherein the cheese analog is comprised of        an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel.    -   43. The cheese analog of claim 43, where in the        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises at least 2%, at least 3%, at        least 4%, at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%,        55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% water.    -   44. An egg analog, wherein the egg analog is comprised of an        oil-in-hydrocolloid g    -   45. The egg analog of claim 45, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid        gel comprises about 25% to 90% oil, about 0% to 30% protein,        about 4% to 20% agar, about 0% to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70%        water.    -   46. The meat analog of claim 1, wherein the meat analog shaped        like a beef loin, a salmon filet (both with partial        cross-sections), a planar view of a “steak-cut” shape from beef        or pork, and a steak-cut of a large fish (e.g. salmon,        swordfish, or tuna).    -   47. The meat analog of claim 1, wherein the meat analog can be        comprised of portions that mimic the color and texture of meat.    -   48. The meat analog of claim 48, wherein the meat analog        comprises a portion that mimics the color and texture of meat        and another portion mimics the color and texture of a fat.    -   49. The meat analog of claim 49, wherein the fat or the meat        continue throughout the meat like analog.    -   50. The meat analog of claim 1, wherein the lines through a cut        of a meat analog or fish analog correspond to a hydrocolloid        film that in each instance provides the structure, the texture        and feel of the meat analog.    -   51. The meat analog of claim 1 wherein a hydrocolloid film        comprises different hydrocolloid materials and/or film        thicknesses.    -   52 The meat analog of claim 1, wile in the meat analog does not        contain a modified cellulose derivative.    -   53. A bacon analog comprising a fat portion and a meat portion,        the fat portion comprising a partially dehydrated        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel; the meat portion comprising a partially        dehydrated oil-in-hydrocolloid gel and a bulk protein; and        wherein the hydrocolloid gel is:        -   a. not a modified cellulose derivative;        -   b. not a heat-set gel;    -   and further wherein, the hydrocolloid gel is:        -   a. a naturally occurring polysaccharide; and is,        -   b. selected from the group consisting of agar, carrageenan,            alginate, or mixtures thereof,    -   and further wherein;        -   a. the bacon analog has a water activity of between about            0.5 and about 0.95.    -   54. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the product is        comprised of only the meat portion,    -   55. The bacon analog of claim 55, wherein the product is a        jerky.    -   56. The bacon analog of claim 55, wherein the jerky mimics that        of beef, turkey, bison, elk, venison, pork, chicken, duck,        goose, and ostrich.    -   55. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the protein in the        meat analog is derived from seaweed.    -   56. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the protein in the        meat analog is also a colorant.    -   57. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the colorant is        reddish in color.    -   58. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the colorant is        phycoerythrin.    -   59. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the hydrocolloid is        derived from seaweed.    -   60. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the hydrocolloid and        protein are both derived from seaweed.    -   61. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the hydrocolloid        contains agar.    -   62. The bacon analog of claim 55, wherein the hydrocolloid of        one or both the meat and fat portions are hydrated.    -   63. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the hydrocolloid of        one or both the meat and fat portions is dehydrated.    -   64. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the meat portion        changes from a reddish color to a reddish-brown color when        heated to between 160° F. and 400° F.    -   65. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the colorant in the        meat portion does not migrate into the fat portion in storage or        during cooking.    -   66. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the colorant is a        seaweed protein.    -   67. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the seaweed protein is        an R-phycoerythrin, B-phycoerythrin, C-phycoerythrin,        phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, or phycoerythrocyanin.    -   68. The bacon analog of claim 54, wherein the seaweed protein is        pigmented by a phycoerythrobilin, phycocyanobilin,        phycourobilin, 15,16-dihydrobiliverdin, or biliverdine IX alpha        molecule.    -   69. An animal meat analog comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid        gel, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises about 10% to        70% oil, about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to 20% agar, about 1        to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.    -   70. The animal meat analog of claim 72, in which the        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel is partially or fully dehydrated.    -   71. An animal fat analog comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid        gel, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises about 25% to        90% oil, about 0% to 10% protein, about 4% to 20% agar, about 1        to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.    -   72. The animal fat analog of claim 74, in which the        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel is partially or fully dehydrated.    -   73. The meat analog product of claim 15, wherein the        hydrocolloid film is partially or fully dehydrated before        combining with dough layers.    -   74. A cheese analog comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel,        wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises about 25% to 90%        oil, about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to 20% agar, about 0% to        8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.    -   75. The cheese analog of claim 77, wherein the        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel is partially or fully dehydrated.    -   76. A cooked egg analog comprised of an oil-in-hydrocolloid gel,        wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid gel comprises about 25% to 90%        oil, about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to 20% agar, about 0% to        8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.    -   77. The cooked egg analog of claim 79, wherein the        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel is partially or fully dehydrated.    -   78. A process for making a bacon analog, comprising,        -   a. mixing water with a gel-forming hydrocolloid and one or            more of an oil and optionally a protein to form a bacon fat            analog mixture;        -   b. mixing in a separate container, water with a gel-forming            hydrocolloid and one or more of an oil and protein to form a            bacon meat analog mixture.        -   c. adding a bacon flavoring to each of the mixtures of steps            a and b;        -   d. optionally, adding a red colorant to the bacon meat            analog mixture;        -   e. combining the two mixtures into a mold to form a            composite from the fat and meat analog portions that has the            appearance of an animal sourced bacon;        -   f. allowing the composite from step e to set into a gel as a            single, continuous piece of bacon analog;        -   g. optionally, further cutting the composite of step e into            strips in such a way as to promote the formation of a            rippled surface texture resembling cooked bacon after            dehydration;        -   h. dehydrating the gelled bacon meat analog of step g to            attain a target moisture level that results in a crispiness            resembling bacon, and/or a moisture level that results in a            melting behavior when cooked that maintains its overall            three-dimensional structure, look and feel.    -   79. A process for making a bacon analog of claim 81, wherein the        bacon meat analog is cooked.    -   80. A process for making a bacon analog of claim 81, wherein the        bacon meat analog is cooked at 350° F.    -   81. A process for making a bacon analog of claim 81, wherein the        fat and meat analog portions are combined to create a rippled        surface texture that is similar to cooked animal bacon after        dehydration.    -   82. A process for making a bacon analog, comprising the        following steps:        -   a. mixing water with a gel-forming hydrocolloid and one or            more of an oil to form a bacon fat analog mixture;        -   b. mixing separately, water with a gel-forming hydrocolloid            and one or more of an oil and one or more of a protein to            form a bacon meat analog mixture;        -   c. depositing adjacent to each other on a generally planar            surface the two mixtures to form a composite from the fat            and meat analog portions that has the appearance of an            animal sourced bacon;        -   d. allowing the composite from step (c) to set into a gel as            a single, continuous piece of bacon analog; and        -   e. dehydrating the gelled bacon meat analog of step (d) to            attain a target moisture level that results in a food            product with a desired melting behavior when cooked.    -   83. The process of claim 85, wherein the process further        comprises the addition of a bacon flavoring to one or both        mixtures in steps (a) and (b).    -   84. The process of claim 85, wherein the process further        comprises the addition of a natural red colorant to the bacon        analog mixture in step (b).    -   85. The process of claim 85, wherein the deposition (c) is        accomplished by pouring the fat and meat analogs into a mold        configured to mimic the shape of an animal derived bacon that        separates the deposited fat and meat analog portions in a manner        to mimic the look of an animal meat bacon.    -   86. The process of claim 85, wherein the reposition (c)        comprises simultaneously depositing the fat and meat analog        portions.    -   87. The process of claim 85, wherein the surface of the bacon        analog is comprised of ripples that provide a composite of        deposited fat and meat analog portions with a rippled texture        after dehydration.    -   88. The process of claim 85, wherein step (c) further includes        cutting the composite of step (c) into strips to promote the        formation of a rippled surface texture resembling cooked bacon        after dehydration.    -   89. The process of claim 85, wherein the dehydrating step (e)        comprises attaining a target moisture level that results in a        crispiness resembling cooked bacon after dehydration.    -   90. The process of claim 81, wherein the target moisture level        is about 10% to about 50%.    -   91. The process of claim 85 wherein the target moisture level is        about 10% to about 50%.    -   92. The process of claim 81, wherein the target oil droplet size        is about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.    -   93. The process of claim 85, wherein the target oil droplet size        is about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm.    -   94. The process of claim 85, wherein the gelation of step (d)        stabilizes the oil droplet size in the oil-in-hydrocolloid        emulsions of step (a) and (b).    -   95. The process of claim 85, wherein the melting behavior in        step (i) is not melting.    -   96. The process of claim 85, wherein the melting behavior in        step (i) is melting on the inside.    -   97. The process of claim 85, wherein the melting behavior in        step (i) is melting into a liquid with about the same viscosity        as a melted animal fat.    -   98. The process of claim 81, wherein the oil is stabilized in an        oil-in-hydrocolloid gel.    -   99. The process of claim 101, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid        gel used in an animal fat analog may be dehydrated to a target        moisture level where it does not melt upon cooking.    -   100. The process of claim 101, wherein the oil is a large oil        droplet that is trapped by gelation.    -   101. The process of claim 101, wherein an oil is mixed into an        aqueous hydrocolloid solution at low shear to produce large        droplet sizes,    -   102. The process of claim 104, wherein the process results in a        bacon analog with a crispier sound.    -   103. The process of claim 81, wherein the hydrocolloid gel is a        hydrocolloid gel matrix.    -   104. The process of claim 106, wherein the hydrocolloid gel        matrix creates a rough surface texture that resembles a bacon        from the meat of a pig.    -   105. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        crispiness of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least        4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least        9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at        least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least        18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at        least 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least        27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at        least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at least        36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at        least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least        45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at        least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least        54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at        least 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least        63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at        least 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least        72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at        least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at least        81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at        least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least        90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at        least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least        99% or at least 100% of an animal derived, sourced and/or based        bacon.    -   106. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        crispiness of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%,        about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%,        about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about        17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%,        about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about        28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%,        about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about        39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%,        about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about        50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%,        about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about        61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%,        about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about        72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%,        about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about        83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%,        about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about        94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or        about 100% of an animal derived, sourced and/or based bacon.    -   107. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        crispiness of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%,        no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than        7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more        than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%,        no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more        than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%,        no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than 24%, no more        than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%,        no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more        than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%,        no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more        than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%,        no more than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more        than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%,        no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than 52%, no more        than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%,        no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more        than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%,        no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more        than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%,        no more than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more        than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%,        no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than 80%, no more        than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%,        no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more        than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%,        no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more        than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%,        no more than 99% or no more than 100% of an animal derived,        sourced and/or based bacon.    -   108. The process of claim 1018, wherein the oil-in-hydrocolloid        gel comprises oil droplets.    -   109. The process of claim 111, wherein the oil droplets have a        diameter of about 0.01 mm, about 0.02 mm, about 0.03 mm, about        0.04 mm, about 0.05 mm, about 0.06 mm, about 0.07 mm, about 0.08        mm, about 0.09 mm, about 0.10 mm, about 0.20 mm, about 0.30 mm,        about 0.40 mm, about 0.50 mm, about 0.60 mm, about 0.70 mm,        about 0.80 mm, about 0.90 mm, about 1.0 mm, about 1.1 mm, about        1.2 mm, about 1.3 mm, about 1.4 mm, about 1.5 mm or larger.    -   110. The process of claim 111, wherein the oil droplets have a        diameter of no more than 0.01 mm, no more than 0.02 mm, no more        than 0.03 mm, no more than 0.04 mm, no more than 0.05 mm, no        more than 0.06 mm, no more than 0.07 mm, no more than 0.08 mm,        no more than 0.09 mm, no more than 0.10 mm, no more than 0.20        mm, no more than 0.30 mm, no more than 0.40 mm, no more than        0.50 mm, no more than 0.60 mm, no more than 0.70 mm, no more        than 0.80 mm, no more than 0.90 mm, no more than 1.0 mm, no more        than 1.1 mm, no more than 1.2 mm, no more than 1.3 mm, no more        than 1.4 mm, no more than 1.5 mm or larger.    -   111. The process of claim 111, wherein the oil droplets have a        diameter of at least 0.01 mm, at least 0.02 mm, at least 0.03        mm, at least 0.04 mm, at least 0.05 mm, at least 0.06 mm, at        least 0.07 mm, at least 0.08 mm, at least 0.09 mm, at least 0.10        mm, at least 0.20 mm, at least 0.30 mm, at least 0.40 mm, at        least 0.50 mm, at least 0.60 mm, at least 0.70 mm, at least 0.80        mm, at least 0.90 mm, at least 1.0 mm, at least 1.1 mm, at least        1.2 mm, at least 1.3 mm, at least 1.4 mm, at least 1.5 mm or        larger.    -   112. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        tensile strength that is at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%,        at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%,        at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least        13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at        least 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least        22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at        least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least        31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at        least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least        40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at        least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least        49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at        least 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least        58%, at least 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at        least 63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least        67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at        least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least        76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at        least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least        85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at        least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least        94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at        least 99% or at least 100% of a bacon meat from a pig.    -   113. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        tensile strength that is no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no        more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%,        no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than        10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no        more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than        17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no        more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than        24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no        more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than        31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no        more than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than        38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no        more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than        45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, no        more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than        52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no        more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than        59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no        more than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than        66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no        more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than        73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, no        more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than        80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no        more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than        87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no        more than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than        94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no        more than 98%, no more than 99% or no more than 100% of a bacon        meat from a pig.    -   114. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        tensile strength that is about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%,        about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%,        about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about        16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%,        about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about        27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,        about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about        38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%,        about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about        49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%,        about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about        60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%,        about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about        71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%,        about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about        82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%,        about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about        93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%,        about 99% or about 100% of a bacon meat from a pig.    -   115. The process of claim 81 wherein the bacon analog can be        heated to a temperature ranging from 150.degree. F. to        250.degree. F. or to a temperature of about 150.degree. F, about        160.degree. F, about 170.degree. F, about 180.degree. F, about        190.degree. F, about 200.degree. F, about 210.degree. F, about        220.degree. F, about 230.degree. F, about 240.degree. F, about        250.degree. F, about 260.degree. F, about 270.degree. F, about        280.degree. F, about 290.degree. F, about 300.degree. F, about        310.degree. F, about 320.degree. F, about 330.degree. F, about        340.degree. F, about 350.degree. F, about 360.degree. F, about        370.degree. F, about 380.degree. F, about 390.degree. F, about        400.degree. F, about 410.degree. F, about 420.degree. F, about        430.degree. F, about 440.degree. F, about 450.degree. F, about        460.degree. F, about 470.degree. F, about 480.degree. F, about        490.degree. F or about 500.degree. F.    -   116. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        moisture content that is at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%,        at least 4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%,        at least 9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least        13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at        least 18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least        22%, at least 23%, at least 24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at        least 27%, at least 28%, at least 29%, at least 30%, at least        31%, at least 32%, at least 33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at        least 36%, at least 37%, at least 38%, at least 39%, at least        40%, at least 41%, at least 42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at        least 45%, at least 46%, at least 47%, at least 48%, at least        49%, at least 50%, at least 51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at        least 54%, at least 55%, at least 56%, at least 57%, at least        58%, at least 59%, at least 60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at        least 63%, at least 64%, at least 65%, at least 66%, at least        67%, at least 68%, at least 69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at        least 72%, at least 73%, at least 74%, at least 75%, at least        76%, at least 77%, at least 78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at        least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least        85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at        least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least        94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at        least 99% or at least 100% by weight.    -   117. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        moisture content that is about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%,        about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%,        about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about        16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%,        about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about        27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%,        about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about        38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%,        about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about        49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%,        about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about        60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%,        about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about        71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%,        about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about        82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%,        about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about        93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%,        about 99% or about 100% by weight.    -   118. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        moisture content that is no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no        more than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%,        no more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than        10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no        more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than        17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no        more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than        24%, no more than 25%, no more than 26%, no more than 27%, no        more than 28%, no more than 29%, no more than 30%, no more than        31%, no more than 32%, no more than 33%, no more than 34%, no        more than 35%, no more than 36%, no more than 37%, no more than        38%, no more than 39%, no more than 40%, no more than 41%, no        more than 42%, no more than 43%, no more than 44%, no more than        45%, no more than 46%, no more than 47%, no more than 48%, no        more than 49%, no more than 50%, no more than 51%, no more than        52%, no more than 53%, no more than 54%, no more than 55%, no        more than 56%, no more than 57%, no more than 58%, no more than        59%, no more than 60%, no more than 61%, no more than 62%, no        more than 63%, no more than 64%, no more than 65%, no more than        66%, no more than 67%, no more than 68%, no more than 69%, no        more than 70%, no more than 71%, no more than 72%, no more than        73%, no more than 74%, no more than 75%, no more than 76%, no        more than 77%, no more than 78%, no more than 79%, no more than        80%, no more than 81%, no more than 82%, no more than 83%, no        more than 84%, no more than 85%, no more than 86%, no more than        87%, no more than 88%, no more than 89%, no more than 90%, no        more than 91%, no more than 92%, no more than 93%, no more than        94%, no more than 95%, no more than 96%, no more than 97%, no        more than 98%, no more than 99% or no more than 100% by weight.    -   119. The process of claim 81, wherein the water activity level        of a bacon analog, including a plant-based bacon is at least 0,        at least 0.1, at least 0.2, at least 0.3, at least 0.4, at least        0.5, at least 0.6, at least 0.7, at least 0.8, at least 0.9 or        at least 1.0. In a further embodiment, the water activity level        of a plant-based meat analog, including a plant-based bacon is        about 0, about 0.1, about 0.2, about 0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5,        about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9 or about 1.0. In        another embodiment, the water activity level of a plant-based        meat analog, including a plant-based bacon is no more than 0, no        more than 0.1, no more than 0.2, no more than 0.3, no more than        0.4, no more than 0.5, no more than 0.6, no more than 0.7, no        more than 0.8, no more than 0.9 or no more than 1.0.    -   120. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        salt concentration of about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%,        about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%,        about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about        16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%,        about 22%, about 23%, about 24% or about 25% by weight. The        process of claim 76, wherein the bacon analog has a salt        concentration of at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least        4%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least        9%, at least 10%, at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at        least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least        18%, at least 19%, at least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at        least 23%, at least 24% or at least 25% by weight.    -   121. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        salt concentration of no more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more        than 3%, no more than 4%, no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no        more than 7%, no more than 8%, no more than 9%, no more than        10%, no more than 11%, no more than 12%, no more than 13%, no        more than 14%, no more than 15%, no more than 16%, no more than        17%, no more than 18%, no more than 19%, no more than 20%, no        more than 21%, no more than 22%, no more than 23%, no more than        24% or no more than 25% by weight.    -   122. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog is in the        shape of a bacon strip.    -   123. The process of claim 125, wherein the bacon strip has a        length (the longer distance between bacon ends) from top to        bottom of about 1 mm, about 2 mm, about 3 mm, about 4 mm, about        5 mm, about 6 mm, about 7 mm, about 8 mm, about 9 mm, about 10        mm, about 20 mm, about 30 mm, about 40 mm, about 50 mm, about 60        mm, about 70 mm, about 80 mm, about 90 mm, about 100 mm, about        110 mm, about 120 mm, about 130 mm, about 140 mm, about 150 mm,        about 160 mm, about 170 mm, about 180 mm, about 190 mm, about        200 mm, or larger.    -   124. The process of claim 125, wherein the bacon strip has a        length (the longer distance between bacon ends) from top to        bottom of at least 1 mm, at least 2 mm, at least 3 mm, at least        4 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 6 mm, at least 7 mm, at least 8        mm, at least 9 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 20 mm, at least 30        mm, at least 40 mm, at least 50 mm, at least 60 mm, at least 70        mm, at least 80 mm, at least 90 mm, at least 100 mm, at least        110 mm, at least 120 mm, at least 130 mm, at least 140 mm, at        least 150 mm, at least 160 mm, at least 170 mm, at least 180 mm,        at least 190 mm, at least 200 mm, or larger.    -   125. The process of claim 125, wherein the bacon strip has a        length (the longer distance between bacon ends) from top to        bottom of no more than 1 mm, no more than 2 mm, no more than 3        mm, no more than 4 mm, no more than 5 mm, no more than 6 mm, no        more than 7 mm, no more than 8 mm, no more than 9 mm, no more        than 10 mm, no more than 20 mm, no more than 30 mm, no more than        40 mm, no more than 50 mm, no more than 60 mm, no more than 70        mm, no more than 80 mm, no more than 90 mm, no more than 100 mm,        no more than 110 mm, no more than 120 mm, no more than 130 mm,        no more than 140 mm, no more than 150 mm, no more than 160 mm,        no more than 170 mm, no more than 180 mm, no more than 190 mm,        at least 200 mm, or larger.    -   126. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        rugosity after heating, including cooking that increases about        1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%,        about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%,        about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about        19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%,        about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about        30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%,        about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about        41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%,        about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about        52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%,        about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about        63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%,        about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about        74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%,        about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about        85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%,        about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about        96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99% or about 100% compared to        the rugosity of the unheated, including uncooked, plant-based        meat analog, including a plant-based bacon.    -   127. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        rugosity after heating, including cooking that increases by at        least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 4%, at least 5%, at        least 6%, at least 7%, at least 8%, at least 9%, at least 10%,        at least 11%, at least 12%, at least 13%, at least 14%, at least        15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, at        least 20%, at least 21%, at least 22%, at least 23%, at least        24%, at least 25%, at least 26%, at least 27%, at least 28%, at        least 29%, at least 30%, at least 31%, at least 32%, at least        33%, at least 34%, at least 35%, at least 36%, at least 37%, at        least 38%, at least 39%, at least 40%, at least 41%, at least        42%, at least 43%, at least 44%, at least 45%, at least 46%, at        least 47%, at least 48%, at least 49%, at least 50%, at least        51%, at least 52%, at least 53%, at least 54%, at least 55%, at        least 56%, at least 57%, at least 58%, at least 59%, at least        60%, at least 61%, at least 62%, at least 63%, at least 64%, at        least 65%, at least 66%, at least 67%, at least 68%, at least        69%, at least 70%, at least 71%, at least 72%, at least 73%, at        least 74%, at least 75%, at least 76%, at least 77%, at least        78%, at least 79%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at        least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least        87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at        least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least        96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or at least 100%        compared to the rugosity of the unheated, including uncooked,        plant-based meat analog, including a plant-based bacon.    -   128. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog has a        rugosity after heating, including cooking that increases by no        more than 1%, no more than 2%, no more than 3%, no more than 4%,        no more than 5%, no more than 6%, no more than 7%, no more than        8%, no more than 9%, no more than 10%, no more than 11%, no more        than 12%, no more than 13%, no more than 14%, no more than 15%,        no more than 16%, no more than 17%, no more than 18%, no more        than 19%, no more than 20%, no more than 21%, no more than 22%,        no more than 23%, no more than 24%, no more than 25%, no more        than 26%, no more than 27%, no more than 28%, no more than 29%,        no more than 30%, no more than 31%, no more than 32%, no more        than 33%, no more than 34%, no more than 35%, no more than 36%,        no more than 37%, no more than 38%, no more than 39%, no more        than 40%, no more than 41%, no more than 42%, no more than 43%,        no more than 44%, no more than 45%, no more than 46%, no more        than 47%, no more than 48%, no more than 49%, no more than 50%,        no more than 51%, no more than 52%, no more than 53%, no more        than 54%, no more than 55%, no more than 56%, no more than 57%,        no more than 58%, no more than 59%, no more than 60%, no more        than 61%, no more than 62%, no more than 63%, no more than 64%,        no more than 65%, no more than 66%, no more than 67%, no more        than 68%, no more than 69%, no more than 70%, no more than 71%,        no more than 72%, no more than 73%, no more than 74%, no more        than 75%, no more than 76%, no more than 77%, no more than 78%,        no more than 79%, no more than 80%, no more than 81%, no more        than 82%, no more than 83%, no more than 84%, no more than 85%,        no more than 86%, no more than 87%, no more than 88%, no more        than 89%, no more than 90%, no more than 91%, no more than 92%,        no more than 93%, no more than 94%, no more than 95%, no more        than 96%, no more than 97%, no more than 98%, no more than 99%        or no more than 100% compared to the rugosity of the unheated,        including uncooked, plant-based meat analog, including a        plant-based bacon.    -   129. The process of claim 81, wherein the bacon analog is        comprised of meat analog and a fat analog.    -   130. The process of claim 132, wherein the meat analog and fat        analog are deposited side-by-side on a base, which may be moving        in the length direction.    -   131, The process of claim 133, wherein the base is an edible        layer of hydrocolloid film.

In closing, it is to be understood that although aspects of the presentspecification are highlighted by referring to specific embodiments, oneskilled in the art will readily appreciate that these disclosedembodiments are only illustrative of the principles of the subjectmatter disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that thedisclosed subject matter is in no way limited to a particular compound,composition, article, apparatus, methodology, protocol, and/or reagent,etc., described herein, unless expressly stated as such. In addition,those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that certain changes,modifications, permutations, alterations, additions, subtractions andsub-combinations thereof can be made in accordance with the teachingsherein without departing from the spirit of the present specification.It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claimshereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such changes,modifications, permutations, alterations, additions, subtractions andsub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.

Certain embodiments of the present invention are described herein,including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out theinvention. Of course, variations on these described embodiments willbecome apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading theforegoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employsuch variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the presentinvention to be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein.Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalentsof the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permittedby applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-describedembodiments in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by theinvention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearlycontradicted by context.

Groupings of alternative embodiments, elements, or steps of the presentinvention are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member maybe referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with othergroup members disclosed herein. It is anticipated that one or moremembers of a group may be included in, or deleted from, a group forreasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion ordeletion occurs, the specification is deemed to contain the group asmodified thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groupsused in the appended claims.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing a characteristic,item, quantity, parameter, property, term, and so forth used in thepresent specification and claims are to be understood as being modifiedin all instances by the term “about.” As used herein, the term “about”means that the characteristic, item, quantity, parameter, property, orterm so qualified encompasses a range of plus or minus ten percent aboveand below the value of the stated characteristic, item, quantity,parameter, property, or term. Accordingly, unless indicated to thecontrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification andattached claims are approximations that may vary. For instance, as massspectrometry instruments can vary slightly in determining the mass of agiven analyte, the term “about” in the context of the mass of an ion orthe mass/charge ratio of an ion refers to +/−0.50 atomic mass unit. Atthe very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of thedoctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numericalindication should at least be construed in light of the number ofreported significant digits and by applying ordinary roundingtechniques.

Use of the terms “may” or “can” in reference to an embodiment or aspectof an embodiment also carries with it the alternative meaning of “maynot” or “cannot.” As such, if the present specification discloses thatan embodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may be or can be included aspart of the inventive subject matter, then the negative limitation orexclusionary proviso is also explicitly meant, meaning that anembodiment or an aspect of an embodiment may not be or cannot beincluded as part of the inventive subject matter. In a similar manner,use of the term “optionally” in reference to an embodiment or aspect ofan embodiment means that such embodiment or aspect of the embodiment maybe included as part of the inventive subject matter or may not beincluded as part of the inventive subject matter. Whether such anegative limitation or exclusionary proviso applies will be based onwhether the negative limitation or exclusionary proviso is recited inthe claimed subject matter. Further, the use of the terms “include,”“includes” and “including” means include, includes and or including aswell as include, includes and including, but not limited to.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and values setting forth thebroad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical rangesand values set forth in the specific examples are reported as preciselyas possible. Any numerical range or value, however, inherently containscertain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation foundin their respective testing measurements. Recitation of numerical rangesof values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method ofreferring individually to each separate numerical value falling withinthe range. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each individual value of anumerical range is incorporated into the present specification as if itwere individually recited herein.

The terms “a,” “an,” “the” and similar references used in the context ofdescribing the present invention (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. Further, ordinal indicators—such as “first,” “second,” “third,”etc.—for identified elements are used to distinguish between theelements, and do not indicate or imply a required or limited number ofsuch elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order ofsuch elements unless otherwise specifically stated. All methodsdescribed herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwiseindicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The useof any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the presentinvention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the inventionotherwise claimed. No language in the present specification should beconstrued as indicating any non-claimed element essential to thepractice of the invention.

When used in the claims, whether as filed or added per amendment, theopen-ended transitional term “comprising” (and equivalent open-endedtransitional phrases thereof like including, containing and having)encompasses all the expressly recited elements, limitations, stepsand/or features alone or in combination with unrecited subject matter;the named elements, limitations and/or features are essential, but otherunnamed elements, limitations and/or features may be added and stillform a construct within the scope of the claim. Specific embodimentsdisclosed herein may be further limited in the claims using theclosed-ended transitional phrases “consisting of” or “consistingessentially of” in lieu of or as an amended for “comprising.” When usedin the claims, whether as filed or added per amendment, the closed-endedtransitional phrase “consisting of” excludes any element, limitation,step, or feature not expressly recited in the claims. The closed-endedtransitional phrase “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of aclaim to the expressly recited elements, limitations, steps and/orfeatures and any other elements, limitations, steps and/or features thatdo not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of theclaimed subject matter. Thus, the meaning of the open-ended transitionalphrase “comprising” is being defined as encompassing all thespecifically recited elements, limitations, steps and/or features aswell as any optional, additional unspecified ones. The meaning of theclosed-ended transitional phrase “consisting of” is being defined asonly including those elements, limitations, steps and/or featuresspecifically recited in the claim whereas the meaning of theclosed-ended transitional phrase “consisting essentially of” is beingdefined as only including those elements, limitations, steps and/orfeatures specifically recited in the claim and those elements,limitations, steps and/or features that do not materially affect thebasic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter.Therefore, the open-ended transitional phrase “comprising” (andequivalent open-ended transitional phrases thereof) includes within itsmeaning, as a limiting case, claimed subject matter specified by theclosed-ended transitional phrases “consisting of” or “consistingessentially of.” As such embodiments described herein or so claimed withthe phrase “comprising” are expressly or inherently unambiguouslydescribed, enabled and supported herein for the phrases “consistingessentially of” and “consisting of.”

All patents, patent publications, and other publications referenced andidentified in the present specification are individually and expresslyincorporated herein by reference in their entirety for the purpose ofdescribing and disclosing, for example, the compositions andmethodologies described in such publications that might be used inconnection with the present invention. These publications are providedsolely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the presentapplication. Nothing in this regard should be construed as an admissionthat the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure byvirtue of prior invention or for any other reason. All statements as tothe date or representation as to the contents of these documents isbased on the information available to the applicants and does notconstitute any admission as to the correctness of the dates or contentsof these documents.

Lastly, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe present invention, which is defined solely by the claims.Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to that precisely asshown and described.

1. A bacon analog comprising a bacon fat analog and a bacon meat analogconstructed in a pattern to resemble an animal bacon, wherein the baconfat analog portion comprises a first oil located within a firstplant-based hydrocolloid gel, and the bacon meat analog portioncomprises a second oil located within a second plant-based hydrocolloidgel, wherein the first and second hydrocolloid gels are comprised of oneor more of the following; agar, carrageenan, alginate, pectin and gellangum; and further wherein the first and second hydrocolloid gels arepartially dehydrated.
 2. The bacon analog of claim 1 in which the baconanalog exhibits one or more of the following characteristics: a) acrispy sound when bitten or chewed that is similar to an animal baconwhen consumed, b) a mouthfeel when bitten or chewed that is similar toan animal bacon when consumed, c) a surface texture similar to an animalbacon prior to it being consumed, and d) an elasticity similar to ananimal bacon.
 3. The bacon analog of claim 1 in which one or morecolorant is added to one or both of the fat portion and meat portion,wherein the fat portion has a color similar to the fat portion of animalbacon and the meat portion has a color similar to the meat portion ofanimal bacon.
 4. The bacon analog of claim 3, wherein at least onecolorant is comprised of a protein derived from seaweed.
 5. The baconanalog of claim 1, wherein a flavor is added to at least one of the fatportion and the meat portion of the bacon analog to produce a flavorthat is similar to cooked animal bacon.
 6. The bacon analog of claim 1,wherein one or both of the fat portion and the meat portion comprises abulk protein.
 7. The bacon analog of claim 1, wherein the water activityis between about 0.5 and 0.95.
 8. The bacon analog of claim 1, whereinat least one or both of the first and second oils is comprised of anunsaturated vegetable oil.
 9. The bacon analog of claim 1, wherein themeat portion and fat portion are free of modified cellulose derivatives.10. The bacon analog of claim 1, wherein at least one of thehydrocolloid gels does not melt when cooked at temperatures of about300° F. to about 450° F.
 11. The bacon analog of claim 1 wherein the fatportion is comprised of about 25% to 90% oil, about 0% to 10% protein,about 4% to 20% agar, about 1 to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.12. The bacon analog of claim 1, wherein the meat portion is comprisedof about 10% to 70% oil, about 0% to 30% protein, about 4% to 20% agar,about 1 to 8% salt, and about 20% to 70% water.
 13. The bacon analog ofclaim 1, wherein one or both of the first oil and second oil iscomprised of droplets with a diameter of at least 0.1 mm.
 14. The baconanalog of claim 1, wherein the one or both of the meat portion and fatportion is comprised of a plurality of hydrocolloid films separatingoil-containing layers and arranged in an orientation that produces apattern resembling animal tissue on the surface of the bacon analog. 15.A bacon analog comprised of a fat portion and a meat portion, whereinone or both portions are constructed of hydrocolloid films, wherein, thehydrocolloid films comprising one or both the fat portion and meatportion are fused together by gelling, and further wherein the baconanalog is comprised of hydrocolloid films that separate into distinctdough layers, wherein the dough layers are comprised of one or both of afat mimic and a meat mimic.
 16. The bacon analog of claim 15, whereinthe dough layers comprising one or both of the fat mimic and the meatmimic are comprised of an oil, and wherein the oil comprising the fatmimic and the meat mimic has a diameter of at least 0.1 mm.
 17. Thebacon analog of claim 15, wherein the bacon analog has one or more of:a) a crispy sound when bitten or chewed that is similar to an animalbacon when consumed, b) a mouthfeel when bitten or chewed that issimilar to an animal bacon when consumed, and c) a surface texturesimilar to an animal bacon prior to it being consumed, and d) anelasticity similar to an animal bacon.
 18. The bacon analog of claim 15,wherein the hydrocolloid films in one or both of the fat portion andmeat portion serve to restrict the movement of the oil within therespective portion.
 19. The bacon analog of claim 15, wherein one ormore of the hydrocolloid films are derived in whole or in part fromseaweed.
 20. The bacon analog of claim 15, wherein the hydrocolloid filmis formed by the setting of an oil-in-hydrocolloid emulsion.